death & dream
by Asakami
Summary: "Ten thousand years won't save our love." Laxus/Mirajane.
1. I

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA**  
Warning: **Possible spoilers (if you don't follow the manga and/or aren't up to date with the anime), language, and mature/graphic scenes.

**A/N: **My first FT fic. OBVIOUSLY I decided to write it on the most badass pair that is OBVIOUSLY canon in the manga/anime (soon…). This story is solely focused on L/M, so if you pick up any possible hints on other couples… well, that's just your imagination, because I have no intention on writing about anybody else BUT Laxus and Mira.

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**I**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Fourteen –

"_Mira-nee!" Lisanna skipped happily to her sister. "Want to take a break?"_

_Mirajane exhaled deeply, letting her transformation seep away from her. Yeah, she could probably use a break after all that training. "Mm, sure." Looking at the basket her younger sister was holding onto, she sat down on the mat laid out under the shade. "What'd you make for me today?"_

_The younger Strauss sister grinned. Kneeling down next to Mirajane, she opened up the basket and revealed the meal she had prepared. "Sandwiches! And lots of it!" _

_Mirajane smiled as Lisanna set the plate of neat, triangular-shaped snacks onto the mat. "Looks good," She commented._

"_It does, doesn't it? I've spent the entire morning working on it!" _

_She picked out a sandwich and nibbled at it. "Hm, then I better finish them all." Mirajane replied, smiling._

"_Yep!"_

_The older sister wasn't particularly hungry, but she still wanted to try out the girl's skills. As she chewed, she could feel Lisanna eyeing her with anticipation, but she acted as if she didn't notice it._

_Finally, not able to withstand the silence, Lisanna spoke out nervously. "Mira-nee, h-how is it?"_

_Mirajane swallowed, genuinely pleased. "It's delicious. You've improved, Lisanna,"_

"_Heh…"_

_The siblings spun their heads to the sound. The older sister stood up and took on her fighter stance (it was her natural reflex), but the younger one simply stared with wonder. _

"_Laxus!" Lisanna called happily. _

"_Yo," He greeted casually and walked towards the two girls. "Having a picnic?"_

_Mirajane rolled her eyes. "It's none of your business." She muttered._

"_Mira-nee!" Lisanna scolded. She dropped the glare before looking to the young lightning mage. "It's not really a picnic, but I guess it kind of looks like one!" Lisanna replied with a cheerful tone. "Do you want to join us?"_

"_Wha—Lisanna!" _

_Laxus smirked. He was only strolling by and actually had no intention on stopping to greet the siblings, but seeing Mirajane's frustration, he decided to stay, just for the hell of it. "Sure, why not?" He removed his headphones, letting them hang loosely around his neck as he sat beside the younger sister. Laxus planned it out quickly in his head; he decided that using her as a barrier between himself and the master take-over mage (whose magical aura was threatening to strangle him at the moment) would assure a few more years to his life._

_Groaning, Mirajane reluctantly admitted defeat. She crossed her arms and looked away, making it apparent that she was not tolerating his presence. _

_Lisanna obviously noticed her sister's rude behaviour, but like Laxus, she paid no attention to it. Instead, "Here, try a sandwich!" She drew all of her attention to the young mage. _

"_Looks good," He took it in his hand, "Did you make it?"_

"_Yeah!" _

"_Mmm," Laxus took a bite, "Hey, this is good," He chewed hungrily. "This is really good."_

_Lisanna grinned. "This is nothing compared to Mira-nee's cooking!"_

_The lightning mage widened his eyes. He even stopped chewing to emphasize his surprise. "Your sister cooks?" _

_Mirajane frowned. "I'm right here, you know?" She said sardonically. _

_Laxus chuckled. He finished up his sandwich and brushed the crumbs off his fingers. _

"_Yeah, Mira-nee is the best cook in the world!" Lisanna answered. "I look forward to her cooking every day!"_

_Impressed, Laxus nodded. "Heh, is that so? The Demon Mirajane is a master chef, huh?"_

_A hint of pink spread across Mirajane's cheeks. She turned away, flustered._

"_Unn! You need to actually try her cooking to know how good she is!" Lisanna added cheerfully. She could go on all day. Praising her sister, telling others how talented she was made her feel equally flattered. It was almost like she was praising herself. _

_Laxus smiled at the little girl's excitement. "But then," He placed a palm on her head, which immediately got the older Strauss' attention. His emerald eyes then clashed with Mirajane's cerulean ones. "I don't think your sister would cook for anyone but you and Elfman."_

_Lisanna blushed slightly and chuckled. Right now, she decided that the master's grandson wasn't as 'cold' and 'anti-social' as everyone described; he was acting normally, almost like a big brother. She went on, getting increasingly enthusiastic with their conversation. "Mira-nee said that she would cook for anyone she likes though!"_

"_H-hey! Lisanna!" But the girl in question wasn't amused. Rather, her cheeks were crimson by now, no thanks to her little sister's words of praise. "Stop talking!" She attempted to cover Lisanna's mouth, though the tiny girl was agile; she dodged easily, moving to hide behind the blonde boy._

"_Get out of the way, Laxus." Mirajane warned dangerously. _

"_No, don't move! She's going to kill me!" Lisanna playfully responded. She continued to use the mage as her shield as her sister tried to grab her, dodging and slipping away smoothly while holding onto the boy's shoulders for better balance. _

_Laxus blinked curiously at the Strauss sisters' silly quarrel, but he was equally amused by it—_

"_Stay still!"_

—_that was, until Mirajane lunged herself forward without warning and pushed him over, making him land on his back… with her on top of him._

_Lisanna managed to move out of the way before she got crushed by the young teenagers, but more importantly, she was standing in the front row seats and therefore witnessed the entire accident. _

"…"

_Mirajane tried to grasp onto the situation – this was all too sudden. W-was she on top of Laxus Dreyar? Why and… how did this happen again? _

_Laxus swallowed. The take-over mage's face was mere inches away from his own, and not that she was heavy or anything, but she was on top of him and… well, to put it simply, this was getting more and more awkward as each second went by. So, he decided to speak up, "Um… uh…"_

_The girl gasped. She bounced right off the boy when he opened his mouth to speak – or at least, tried to. "W-w-what – what are you doing!" She stammered nervously._

_He sat up, cheeks tinted with pink. "What am I doing? What the hell were you doing!" _

"_Sh-shut up! I do what I want!" She glared at her little sister, who, in turn, gasped and turned away, pretending as if she had nothing to do with the 'accident'. Mirajane scowled and stood up in a flash. "Lisanna, we're going home!"_

_Both Laxus and the younger sister jumped to the anger in her voice. Though, the latter was much more frightened._

"_Y-yes…!" She squeaked. Lisanna waited until Mirajane turned away, and then she got to her knees and packed the things back into the basket hurriedly. When her sister was far enough, she turned to Laxus and started, "Um, I'm… I'm really sorry about what happened…"_

_The blonde scratched the back of his neck. He shrugged and got off the mat when Lisanna stood up. "Er, well… I wouldn't worry about me…" He said awkwardly. "Seems like you're going to have it rough later, huh?"_

_Lisanna shook her head and smiled slightly. "Nah, Mira-nee doesn't stay mad for long."_

"_Are… you sure? She's always flipping tables and punching people at the guild."_

"_Well," She giggled, "At home, she's much… er, calmer – yeah. Actually, Mira-nee's really nice if you get to know her better."_

"_Uh… nice…?" Laxus looked up to Mirajane, who was already a few yards away by now, and then he looked back down to the girl who just finished folding the picnic mat. _

_The tiny girl laughed. "Oh, you'll see her 'nice' side one day, I'm sure." She tucked the mat into the basket. "Well then, I better go catch up to her."_

"_Uh, yeah, sure." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for the sandwich."_

_Lisanna grinned. "No problem! Bye-bye, Laxus!"_

_He nodded in return and watched her dash away into the distance. _

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Fifteen –

_He was only trying to find a quiet place to train, but hearing and feeling all the explosions and earthquakes in the outskirts of Magnolia intrigued him greatly. Laxus, all but curious, decided to observe whatever danger lied ahead (though he already had a good idea what – no, _who _it was). _

_Indeed, his intuition didn't fail him. _

"_That was insane, kid." He was able to witness the Demon Mirajane's strength – and she was only sparring. How would she be if she were fighting for real? Just by stating that she was 'insane' didn't do her justice._

_The young take-over mage let her transformation disperse into the air. She scoffed, mentally noting to herself that manipulating the entire river and creating holes through mountains wasn't anything special. Regaining her human form, she clenched onto her fists. "Are you stalking me?" Mirajane uttered her question rudely. _

"_Huh? Stalking? Why would I stalk a Demon?"_

_She glared at him, blue eyes glowing with peril. _

_Laxus sighed. "I was just seeing what all the explosions were about. Y'know, if you use your full power, you might end up blowing the entire town to ashes. You'd probably want to train farther away next time."_

"_Tch," She spun around to face the lightning mage. "I know my own power…" Mirajane said quietly. She looked into her opened palms, "… And it's not enough to beat Erza."_

_Laxus blinked. Right, the exam just ended… he probably shouldn't have started the conversation regarding her powers. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he walked up to her. "There's… always next year." The blonde mage added with a hint of optimism. _

"_The fact that she got chosen over me already means that she's stronger." She responded stubbornly. _

_He sighed. "Well, if it makes you feel any better…" Laxus continued, awkwardly keeping eye contact with the girl, "Jiji told me that picking between you and Erza was the toughest."_

_She eyed him impatiently. "But she got the spot in the end, which means that she _is_ stronger." Mirajane crossed her arms. "So, no, Laxus. You're not making me feel any better."_

"_Oh." Laxus shrugged his shoulders. _

_The two stood in silence as an awkward tension filled the air. _

"_Uh, Lisanna's not here today?" He tried to change the subject._

"_Does it look like she's around to you?" Mirajane frowned. "Look, I want to get back to training. Can you leave me alone, now? I don't even know what you're doing here."_

"_Whoa, calm down. Do you have your period or something?" _

"_Wha—! Excuse me?" Mirajane spat. The girl believed that she responded rather calmly. _

_As if he did not fear death, Laxus approached her, grinning slyly. His movements made the take-over mage tense up naturally, but he did not stop there. The young mage leaned down so he was looking at the girl at eye-level._

"_W-what are you doing…?" She spoke out as smoothly as possible._

"_Oh, nothing," Laxus smirked and continued, "Hm, to be honest, I personally think that you're already S-class material." His smirk widened into a grin. Then, pointing two fingers at the girl's forehead, he pushed her head back gently. "So don't feel too bad. The title will eventually come to you."_

What… what exactly was going on?

"_And don't look so damn pissed off all the time. You'll scare off even Lisanna one day." _

… What!

"_W-wha…" Mirajane was stiff as a stick. The slight, physical contact with arrogant boy made her lose all the rage she had inside her a few moments ago. She tried to put up with him by answering in her usual, tough-girl attitude, but what came out instead was a pathetic stammer. "W-w-why do you care…!" _

_He chuckled. "Because," Laxus rolled his eyes._

"_Because what!" She figured that her face probably resembled a tomato right now._

"_Isn't it obvious? She'll never make me snacks again." The blonde joked. _

"_Ugh! You…!" _

"_And more importantly, you'll get wrinkles for frowning and scowling so much." _

"_Laxus, y-you…! I…!" _

"_I'm being serious. We can't let one of Fairy Tail's prettiest mages look like an old hag when she's only fifteen. You'll never get a boyfriend like that." He finished with a wink. _

… _Which, then, immediately resulted in a tantrum of flushing madness on the girl's cheeks, followed by a massive downpour of water from the skies. _

_"H-holy shit!" Laxus yelled. Mirajane just threw a large portion of the river at him. Other than flooding most of the area, she got the lightning mage soaked, from head to toe. Laxus frowned in annoyance. "What the hell was that for! Ugh, my headphones are ruined! You're paying me back! They were freaking expensive!"_

"_Shut up!" Mirajane yelled back, "I do what I want!" She spun around. To Laxus, it only seemed like she was angry, but in truth, she was trying to hide her face. Yes, that face that was showed all her emotions. That face that just so happened to be redder than Erza's hair. Mirajane started to walk off, as calmly as she could usher._

"_Hey, where are you going! Don't walk away, let's get this settled!"_

_Mirajane turned her head slightly, enough so that she could see the older boy in the corner of her eyes. "Unless you want to get electrocuted, I'd gladly fight you."_

"…" _Laxus blinked. Oh, right. He was completely soaked. "Heh, if you're concerned, let me tell you that I don't take damage from getting electrocuted. In fact, I can—"_

"_Whatever," The girl said, "I'm going home." She finished softly and left the blonde standing by the river._

_As the younger mage stormed away, Laxus could only sigh. Yeah, sure, it was probably his fault for making such rude remarks, but… did he just take away her will to argue? … Anyhow, the girl needed anger management – that much was clear. Laxus brushed away the bangs that were covering his eyes and then glanced over to the river on the side, which was once again flowing peacefully despite the ruckus that happened just now. Slowly, a smile appeared on his face. _

"_Huh. Had no idea the kid could do all this without transforming." _

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Sixteen –

"_Hey." _

_Leaning against a wooden pillar, the mage cocked an eyebrow upwards at the shorter take-over mage. He didn't bother to remove the headphones when answering. "What do you want, kid?"_

_The girl scowled. "Stop trying to act cool, Laxus." She crossed her arms. "You look like a troubled-teenager with those headphones on. By the way, if you keep blasting music to that volume, you're going to be deaf by the time you're thirty."_

_The blonde rolled his eyes. Ignoring her warnings, he, too, crossed his arms. "I said what do you want, kid?"_

_She frowned. "I was going to ask, have you seen Erza anywhere?"_

_He shrugged his shoulders. _

"_Damn it." Mirajane bit onto her lower lip. _

_If his music wasn't turned up so high, he could swear that he would be able to hear her growling. "Fighting again?" He commented._

"_Not fighting," She frowned. "Or, at least, I'm not trying to."_

"_Hn."_

_Mirajane walked to the railing and looked down to the lower-ranking mages. They were, as per usual, fighting amongst each other for no apparent reason at all. Despite being an S-class mage, she would still join in for the hell of it, but, at the same time, she truly had no idea how or why any of the fights start. Things just happen at Fairy Tail. _

"_So, if you're not fighting, why are you looking for her?" Laxus suddenly questioned. Seemed like that was the only thing the two did. _

_She turned back to him. "Tch. I can't find Lisanna. That bitch might've kidnapped her or something."_

_Laxus fought back laughter. He ended up choking on his own breath. _

"_What's so funny?"_

_Coughing to clear his throat, he smirked. "For such a talented mage, you come up with the dumbest assumptions."_

_Mirajane stiffened. Here it was again – she could feel blood gushing up to her head. Damn it, she was blushing. And it probably wasn't because she was pissed off. "T-that wasn't dumb," The take-over mage stuttered slightly. She held onto her hips and stomped over to Laxus. "It's Erza, she does the stupidest things to get my attention."_

"_On the contrary…" Laxus removed himself from the pillar. He placed a hand on the shorter girl's head, messing up her platinum-coloured hair a little. "I think you're the one who does pointless things for attention."_

"…_!" She gaped at him, mouth opened wide but no words would come out to counter his words. _

_Laxus winked at her, and then walked away, disappearing down the stairs. _

_Took a moment, but Mirajane finally remembered that she was still breathing. She sat down at the closest seat, holding onto her flushing cheeks at the same time. _

_God, she was burning up. And don't even get started on how hard her heart was pounding against her chest._

"_Ugh…! Stupid Laxus…!" She murmured. "Stupid Laxus and his stupid blonde hair and stupid headphones and stupid music and stupid smirk and stupid wink—"_

Wink_._

_Mirajane tensed up. This was exactly like that time, a year ago! When that stupid lightning mage poked her forehead and called her a hag and said that she was one of the prettiest mages—_

"…_!" _

_She gasped. A weird, unfamiliar, strangely-warm feeling gushed into her chest, and wow, did she feel like she was going to melt. Oddly, though, she didn't dislike the feeling— "UGH! What the hell, Mirajane!"— no, no. No. Really, no. What was she thinking? She most definitely _hated _this feeling. _

_**.**_

_**.**_

– _**Seventeen –**_

"Hey, Demon."

She frowned. "I have a name, Laxus."

He smirked slyly. "Whatever. Want to go on a mission with me?"

Mirajane glanced at him. She didn't know what it was, but something in her yelled, screamed at her to go. But what came out instead was, "No."

"Being kind of harsh, aren't we?" The man mocked.

"I'm not being harsh, I just don't want to go." She replied bluntly. "Besides, I already picked up a mission."

"Oh?" He mused out loud. "Mind if I tag along, then?"

"I'm going with Elfman and Lisanna."

It was a clear 'no' judging from her tone. "Well, can't I come with the family? Elfman and Lisanna will get to know their future brother-in-law better."

It was annoying. The fact that he was only like this to her – it was so annoying. "You're nobody's 'brother-in-law', Laxus." She said coldly.

Laxus chuckled wryly. He stood up and walked around the table, seating himself beside the girl. "Aw, is the Demon getting colder and colder each year? I can't seem to flirt with you properly anymore." Without warning, he clamped his arm around Mirajane's exposed waist, intentionally pulling her towards himself. "Ditch your siblings. Go on the mission with me…" He whined sarcastically.

She frowned. Pushing against his chest, Mirajane attempted to back away. "Would you stop it—"

Suddenly, a third presence filled the space. The two S-class mages turned around to the strong aura, and Mirajane immediately tensed up upon seeing who it was.

"E-Erza!" She exclaimed.

Said girl looked away out of reflex. She didn't really know why, but whenever she witnessed couples doing their 'thing' and whatnot, she would get all worked up. "Uh, um… I'm sorry, was I… interrupting?"

"No—"

"As a matter of fact," Laxus cut Mirajane off. He pulled the girl closer, "You were, but we don't mind." He looked into her cerulean eyes tenderly, "Do we, now, Mira?"

The take-over mage could feel blood gushing up to her head. Any second now, she might explode. Her jaw hung loose as she stared at the lightning mage. Either she was losing it, or… no, she was definitely losing it. Her vision was getting blurry, and she could swear that she could see stars.

Erza swallowed. "Then… uh, I'll just—"

Mirajane spun around, looking her rival desperately. She was trying to send her messages through her eyes, since she couldn't quite seem to get her vocal chords to obey her.

But it was too late. Erza had already gone downstairs.

_Damn it, Erza! You're such a useless bitch! _Mirajane screamed in her head.

… And so, the two sat in silence for a while longer. That was, until Laxus decided to talk again. "So, you're sure you don't want me to go in their stead…?" He went back on topic, almost feigning sadness in his voice.

Mirajane's eyebrows arched inward. The rush of emotions inside her was going berserk; a dark aura filled the air as her blue eyes glowed dangerously. "Let go of me." She finally spoke up.

Another chuckle, this time it was filled with amusement. He released her. "Calm down, Demon. You don't have to act all scary."

"Shut up!" She tried to throw a punch in his face, but the man evaded it without much effort.

Laxus was laughing by now. Apparently, pissing a girl off was really fun to him. "Alright, alright, I'll leave you alone, jeez." He raised both palms to admit defeat.

Mirajane was too worked up to say anything. She could only glare.

"Hn," He smirked once more. "I thought I told you to lay off with the frown and scowl. You look the best when you're not pissed off, Mirajane."

She gasped silently.

He winked. "I'll see you later."

And then he was down the stairs once more.

"…"

Her mind was spinning. Questions like 'was Laxus Dreyar always like this?' Or 'why is he more and more arrogant?' kept on rolling through her head. But above all, she couldn't shake away this same, strange, unfamiliar, strangely-warm feeling. Every single time when he bothered her, she felt it.

It was so pathetic.

She, the great, Demon Mirajane was getting flustered over the arrogant Laxus Dreyar. What bullshit. She shut her eyes in frustration. Out of an outburst of anger, she pounded a fist onto the table, cracking the wooden material with her effortless strength.

"What is wrong with you, Mirajane…?" She muttered under her breath.

_**.**_

_**.**_

"Elfman, we're leaving." Mirajane called as she descended from the second level.

"Oh? Already?"

"Uh huh," She responded coolly. Looking amongst the people in the guild, Mirajane crossed her arms. "Where's Lisanna?"

"I heard she was looking for Natsu or something."

"Oh," Mirajane shrugged and walked to the exit of the guild. "Well, then, let's go look for her."

"Uh, nee-chan…" Elfman called, stopping his sister's tracks.

"What?"

"Are you… okay?"

She raised a brow.

Elfman scratched the back of his head. "Well, I mean… uh, your cheeks are all red. If you're sick or something we can do this another day—"

Mirajane slapped her cheeks to cover the colour – although she did it a bit too hard, with much credit to her embarrassment.

Her little brother blinked.

_Damn it. _She thought. This was all Laxus' fault. If she sees that stupid blonde again, she would beat the—

"Nee-chan?"

"What!" Mirajane exclaimed.

Elfman jumped. He backed away slightly. "Uh… I, uh…"

"Never mind!" She said angrily, stomping out of the guild. "Let's go! Where the hell is Lisanna!"

Sweat-dropping, Elfman followed his older sister without uttering a word. It was probably best to let her cool down first. If he chose to talk to her now, well… it just wasn't a bright idea.

**.**

**.**

"Are you two fighting again?" Lisanna asked in her motherly voice with her hands at her hips.

The fire dragon-slayer looked up. "Oh, Lisanna. You're back?"

Before the girl could respond, Happy cut into their conversation. "Natsu is really mean! He ate all my fish!"

"Egh, would you stop being so stingy?" Natsu grumbled.

Lisanna shook her head to the two's pointless quarrel. "Really, now… you're the father, aren't you, Natsu?"

"Huh?" Happy and Natsu raised their heads.

She winked and continued, "You'll protect the mother and the child, right?"

"Gah—" Sweat rolled down his face, "H-how long ago is that from…?" The young dragon-slayer stammered.

"Hey, hey, what are you talking about?" Happy questioned innocently.

Cheeks flushed, "I-it's nothing!" Natsu yelled out his reply.

But Lisanna didn't stop. "We're family, so there will be times when we disagree, but fighting is no good, okay?" Then, she too started blushing, "Remember, Happy is our kid, right?"

"SHE JUST SAID SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING!" Happy exclaimed.

Natsu was yelling as well, "D-D-DON'T SAY SUCH WEIRD STUFF!"

"She liiiiiikes you!" Happy teased, rolling his tongue.

"Can you not speak like that? It's really annoying!"

Lisanna shook her head, sighing at their silly quarrel. No matter how much she told them not to fight, they would still do it – ranging from once a week to even once a month. Needless to say, however, the two were extremely close, so she didn't need to worry much about them.

"Hey, Lisanna, it's time to work. Work I said!"

The girl in question turned around. "Eh? B-but didn't we just get back?"

"It's an S-class mission." Elfman said proudly. Pointing to Mirajane, he went on, "We're going to be nee-chan's backup."

"What—! That's not fair! What the hell!" Hotheaded as always, Natsu butted in to express his unwanted opinions.

"What kind of mission is it?" Happy asked.

"Emergency Subjugation." Mirajane replied with her arms crossed. "We're going to go suppress the king of monsters, 'The Beast'. Natsu, do you want to come with us? It'll be good experience." She finished with a wink.

"What, seriously?" Elfman quickly intervened. "I'm not agreeing to that. As a man, I should protect my family all by myself!"

"AHH!" Natsu yelled in frustration, "Don't be selfish! Just let me go with you!"

"No! You're not going!" Elfman said.

Lisanna sighed. If nobody stopped them soon, this could go on forever… or their obnoxious behaviour would piss her sister off, and she wouldn't want that. So, before any of that could happen, she held onto the pink-haired boy's shoulder and started calmly, "Don't worry, Natsu, there's always next time."

The boy sulked. "Aw, but…!"

"Don't cry, Natsu,"Mirajane smirked, "Man, you're so cute."

"I-I'm not crying!"

"Stop it, Mira-nee," Lisanna said. Right, she totally forgot; her sister had this infatuation with Natsu whenever he cried – saying how he was 'cute' and—

"Anyway, can we go already?" Elfman went back on topic. He looked to the orange sky. "The sun's already setting. Anymore delays, and I think the village's going to get destroyed."

The oldest sibling shrugged. "That and I don't want to miss another train. Come on, Lisanna, let's go."

"Unn, coming!" She looked back to Natsu and Happy. "Now, while I'm gone, I want you two to behave, okay?"

"Psh," Natsu scowled. "Yeah, yeah. Ugh, still, an S-class mission… that's unfair!"

Lisanna turned around. "Oh, don't be jealous. You'll take on one soon, Natsu."

"When would 'soon' be?"

"Mmm, I don't know. But when you do, I'll support you. Until then, protect Fairy Tail well!"

"Lisanna, hurry up!" Mirajane called, her voice resounding from the distance.

Natsu watched helplessly as his friend walked off with her siblings. He was about to yell at Happy again, when Lisanna called to him,

"Natsu!"

He looked up.

Lisanna grinned. "Off I go!" She said in her usual, cheerful tone.

Natsu sulked for a brief moment, but a similar grin spread across his cheeks soon after. "Goodbye!"

Hearing his energetic voice again, Lisanna ran off, catching up to Mirajane and Elfman in no time.

"Took you long enough," Her sister said.

Lisanna smiled. "Just saying goodbye. It's really sad, y'know? He really wanted to come along…"

"Tch." Elfman looked away.

Mirajane smirked. "He'll get the chance. Maybe he can go with Erza or something?"

"Ehh…" She _highly_-doubted that. "S-sure, whatever you say, Mira-nee." Lisanna hooked her arm around her sister's.

"Hmm?" The older sister eyed the shorter girl strangely. "Why are you suddenly being so clingly?"

"Oh, nothing," Lisanna giggled. "Just felt like hugging you. Haven't done it for a long time."

Elfman smiled.

"Do you want to join, Elf-niichan?"

His smile disappeared. He looked away, flustered. "I-I-I'm a man, I don't need a-anything like that…!"

A laughter escaped the youngest sibling. "Okay, if you say so!" She held onto Mirajane tighter.

Mirajane too, uncharacteristically, held back onto her little sister, and she held onto her for the rest of the trip.

_For as long as she could._

_Until the very end._

_**.**_

_**.**_

* * *

**Thanks for reading!  
Was it too long/short/boring/super cool? Your opinions are greatly appreciated! So please review! :)**


	2. II

**A/N: **Thank you so much for the reviews/favorites/alerts! I had no idea that there were so many Laxus/Mira shippers until now :D

* * *

"_Oh…? This is weird… I-I can't seem to… move my body…"_

_Mirajane couldn't stop trembling. She held onto Lisanna's hand – it was ice cold. "Don't speak…" _

_The younger sister couldn't hear, couldn't see, couldn't feel. Was she all alone…? "Mira-nee… where are you…?"_

_The tears streamed down her cheeks. She had never felt so scared in her life. Not even when her parents left them. "I'm right here." _

_She couldn't be sure, but Lisanna believed that the blurred figure above her was her sister. Through pain, she turned towards her, "Mira-nee… you know… I really… I…" _

"_No…" Mirajane gripped onto her hand firmer. Right before her eyes, the life in her little sister was fading. "Lisanna…"_

_The girl smiled. That was it. She ran out of strength. Her vision darkened completely, her eyelids falling for the last time. The remains of her tears squeezed out, and she didn't answer anymore._

"_Lisanna…" Mirajane called to her faintly._

_No answer._

"_Lisanna…!"_

* * *

_**death**_

_**and**_

_**dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**II**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"LISANNA!" Mirajane sprung up from her bed, and right then, a sharp pang of pain shot into every corner of her body. The girl yelped weakly and fell back down.

"Take it easy." Instructed an elderly woman.

The young take-over mage looked to the strict voice. "P-Porlyusica?"

The healer merely glanced. She walked over to Mirajane.

"How… how did I…?"

"You passed out after subduing the beast." Porlyusica explained as she watched Mirajane sit up. She observed the girl's injuries carefully. "Don't move so much. I've only managed to ease the pain. Your wounds are much deeper than they appear." And by 'deep', the healer was not referring to the girl's broken ribs, arm, and fractured bones. Right now wasn't the time to bring this up, however. Keeping her calm was her top priority.

"C-can you…"

But Mirajane spoke up before she could even start. Normally, she wouldn't respond to those filthy humans, but this was exception. The woman looked up in response.

Her cerulean eyes clashed with the healer's deep red ones. "… can you w-wake me up… I'm dreaming right now… I'm…" Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"…"

"Please, tell me that I'm dreaming. I-I have to be dreaming…"

Porlyusica looked back down – not because she wasn't interested in the conversation, but because she couldn't answer her. She couldn't lie to such a miserable girl, nor could she tell her the dreadful truth. So, instead, she rested a hand on the young mage's bandaged arm, tending to the wounds underneath. Immediately, however, warm teardrops fell from the girl's cheeks.

"I…" Mirajane started weakly, "… I was there…"

Porlyusica sighed.

"Lisanna – s-she was…" She looked into her palms which were trembling along with her entire body. Mirajane could remember it. The very moment her little sister's hand lost its strength—

"… _Mira-nee… you know… I really… I…"_

"No…"

—_and then her eyes slowly closed—_

"It wasn't real…" Mirajane whispered to herself. She held onto her head.

"_Lisanna, open your eyes! Lisanna!"_

She needed to get those images out of her head… she needed to—

"… _don't leave me alone! Don't disappear!"_

—stop her. She couldn't let her go, she couldn't _accept_ the fact that her little sister was no more – "It wasn't real it wasn't real it wasn't real!"

"Child, calm down," Porlyusica said. She held onto Mirajane's shoulders, attempting to keep her still.

"No… no no no no no—" The girl fought wildly, backing up to the headboard of the bed, "—NO! Get away from me!"

_I'm dreaming I'm dreaming I'm dreaming I'M ONLY DREAMING—_

She pushed the woman's hand off herself with force, "I SAID GET AWAY!" Mirajane kicked the covers off herself. In a spur of panic, she dashed out of bed, brushing past Porlyusica to reach the doorway.

"Stupid child…" The healer muttered. Pointing out two fingers, Porlyusica directed a flash of faint, green light to Mirajane's back before the latter could reach the exit.

Mirajane was on full alert; this feeling wasn't foreign. She knew very well what it was. Within seconds, the warm sensation reached her spine, but before it could get to her head, she stopped the magical flow by equalizing it with her own, effectively dispersing the spell.

Porlyusica's eyes widened slightly, but she wasn't in all surprised, just side-tracked. _Right, something as weak as sleep magic wouldn't affect the Demon_, her mind noted.

Mirajane took the chance to escape. Without wasting another second, she burst out of the healer's house.

Said healer could only breathe out in frustration. To keep the girl still, she would have to knock her out, but it was quite obvious that she was no match against the Demon in terms of strength. Annoyed, Porlyusica looked out of the window. Through the rain, she was able to catch a glimpse of the young mage who was dashing into the forest at a haphazard speed. She decided that it was probably best to head over to Fairy Tail right now; the girl would probably need her there soon.

**.**

**.**

This was all just a dream, so she didn't care if she was being rude. But… even if this wasn't a dream… well, as long as Lisanna was safe, then she could always go back and apologize to Porlyusica for behaving so abruptly. Though, right now, she needed to _make sure _that her little sister was indeed safe.

So she ran. Even though the pain in her body was burning, _drilling _into her organs, Mirajane ran at full speed. Even though her lungs weren't functioning properly, and even though it felt like they were punctured, she ran, as fast as she could.

In no time, she was out of the eastern forest and was in the town of Magnolia itself. Mirajane took a second to catch her breath, but the pains in her body weren't subsiding. In fact, anyone would tell her right now that it was getting more intense – anyone including herself. She bit onto her lower lip and clawed at the flesh on her waist roughly. Maybe if she applied some other pain to herself, then the burning and aching pain would stop. Mirajane walked on, ignoring the looks of the townspeople and the freezing rain that fell from the grey skies. The former she had better success at, but not so much the latter, as the rain was ice-cold, very much like the touch of Lisanna's hand before she—

_No, no, NO._

The girl shook her head rapidly. "It wasn't real…" She muttered to herself. Her legs started to move faster, despite the fact that the bottom of her feet were scratched and were bleeding from all the running. _Right_, she had forgotten to put on her boots when she burst out of the healer's house. How pathetic.

Mirajane gathered her strength to climb the tedious hill that led to the guild. It was getting hard to see, and she was pretty sure that she coughed out blood on several attempts when she gasped for air. Once she was on flat land again, however, her willpower kicked in and she limped her way to the building, bursting through the doors just as abruptly as she burst out of Porlyusica's headquarters.

"Lisanna!" She called.

Everyone spun to face the sound.

"M-Mirajane…!" Many called in unison.

"What are you doing…!" Some asked with concern, "You're a mess! Sit down!"

But she paid no attention to them. Her eyes searched frantically for the one, platinum-haired girl – she searched desperately through the crowed even though she could barely see—

"Mira!" Erza literally jumped off from the second level. She approached the Demon, holding out her arms as though she was to catch the girl. Mirajane looked like she was going to collapse any second. "We need to get you medical—"

Mirajane backed away, shaking her head stubbornly like a frightened and lost child. "N-no, I need to… need t-to…" She was panting heavily, barely voicing her words, "… f-find Lisanna… find her… I need to…"

The girl was in pain, and if the bandages around her arms, or the large, deep purple bruise on her ribs, or even the stream of blood that was trickling down from her mouth to chin did not prove it, then her tears, mixed with the rainwater, did. It was at that moment that Erza felt an agonizing strain weighing down heart. "Mira…"

She shook her head again. "S-she's not here… she's not here…" The take-over mage backed away even more.

"Mira, calm down. I need you to listen to me, okay?"

"No… no… Lisanna…" Mirajane whimpered. In a flash, she turned around and ran for the doorway, into the rain once again.

Several guild members stood up with hopes of chasing her, but they were stopped by Erza, "Don't move!" She yelled to get their attention. "Having so many people run after her would only make the situation worse. Somebody get Master and Porlyusica." She ordered, "I'll go after Mira."

**.**

**.**

_So stupid. You're so stupid, Mirajane. _

Her mind chanted the words in a low, haunting voice. As if she wasn't having enough trouble running and breathing at the same time, those words repeated endlessly, pushing her closer and closer off the edge of her sanity.

_What if this is real…? _Her mind started to wander. _What if Lisanna really is dead? What have you been doing all this time, Mirajane? _

The mage shook her head to get the thoughts out.

_What are you trying to do?_

She moved on, letting the rain hit her face so that she would get somewhat distracted—

"Mirajane Strauss!"

It took her a few more steps to realize that someone was calling to her. She looked behind her weakly, turning to face whoever the person was.

Erza clenched her fists. She ran over to her rival, all but concerned yet, at the same time, angered. "Stop running."

Breathing was already difficult, so talking was out of the question. Mirajane eyed the re-quip mage weakly. "Don't… come any… closer…" She panted each word out with effort. "This is… all just a… a dream…"

Her determination was firm; Erza found it difficult to break the Demon's will. She slowed down and approached her carefully. "Mira, we need to get you treatment…"

Once again, Mirajane shook her head stubbornly, "I… need to find… Lisanna…" She paused, catching her breath, "She might… might be at home… w-waiting for me… to… to cook—"A painful cough escaped her throat; Mirajane was interrupted by herself. She watched helplessly as the red liquid spilled out of her mouth, splattering onto the ground and mixing with the puddles of rainwater.

"Mira!"

"No! Don't come!" She shouted aggressively, clenching at her stomach now. "I don't… need help… I don't _ever _need help…!"

"You're _dying_!" Erza cried with fear.

… _Dying?_

…

"_LISANNA!"_

The Demon's eyes widened, her blue orbs compressed as the memories flashed vividly through her mind. Slowly, she was coming into realization.

_It was real… all of it…_

"Just please, come with me, Mira!"

"…"

"… are you listening to me?"

… No. It wasn't real, she wasn't going to accept it. Erza was wrong. Her memories were wrong. Nobody was dying. _She wasn't dying. _

"Mi—"

"SHUT UP!" A strong, dangerous flow of magical energy erupted from Mirajane's wounded body. It was powerful enough to push the S-class re-quip mage off the ground.

"Stop it!" Erza yelled as she shielded her face from the rocks and gravel that was flying all over the place. "Damn it, she's going out of control…!"

Mirajane's body began to emit a radiating white light – it engulfed her body, and at the same time, her figure began to transform. Black, circular magic seals appeared above and below the transforming Demon, and, as well, flames started to set off on the ground in her radius.

Erza widened her eyes. "Sitri…?" A heavy chill ran down her spine. _To think that she could transform into her Sitri form with such wounds… just how much magical power could she possibly have…?_ "Mira, you need to stop!" Erza yelled through the intensity of the magical waves. At this rate, her rival was really going to lose her life. Uncontrolled darkness magic was able to swallow up its users entirely if they were not careful, and right now, Mirajane was anything_ but_ careful. She was downright reckless. Erza thought fast; she needed to knock her out. If the transformation succeeds, then she wouldn't be able to stop her without putting up a real fight. Even if she did, there was no guarantee that she could overpower her equal and _the _Mirajane…

She was losing it. Mirajane couldn't even see or hear her rival who was begging her to stop. All she knew was that she was going to take out that beast this time. She was going to kill it before it could control Elfman… before it could _kill Lisanna_.

"Gah…!"

More blood came up her throat. The transformation ceased as another sharp pain struck Mirajane. It robbed her of all the remaining strength she had left, and as her legs gave out, she fell with gravity—

Erza ran. "Mira!"

—but before she hit the gravel, a pair of arms caught her, subsequently softening her landing. Mirajane was about to look up to see who the person was, but darkness had already consumed her. She lost consciousness.

With the Demon in his arms, the man adjusted his arms so that he could hold her properly.

Erza had to admit that she was slightly more relieved for having _him _show up all of a sudden. Funny, though, that it was _he _of all people in the world who came to save the day. She approached him, and, looking at the _saviour's _knapsack, Erza couldn't help it but to feel impressed. This man only left two days prior for an S-class mission, but he was back already – no doubt, he was successful with the outcome.

He looked to the S-class mage before him, the one who was conscious. Eyeing her blankly, he asked his questions through their connected gaze.

Erza looked to make sure Mirajane had passed out, and then she spoke up, "Laxus…"

He stiffened. The mighty Titania never, _ever _spoke so weakly to him – not even to anyone. This was serious. His grip on the girl in his arms tightened; he was mentally preparing himself.

She never thought that saying it out loud would be so difficult. Erza believed that she could handle this situation maturely, but she was obviously wrong. Biting onto her lips, she started, "It's Lisanna," She almost whispered, "She's not here anymore."

"…" For a brief second, shock overwhelmed his blank expression. Laxus looked down at the unconscious Mirajane. She was resting against his chest snugly, her breathing rough. Then the lightning mage also noticed that the girl's feet were bleeding, that blood was streaming out of her mouth, her bandages wrapped around her arm were ruined, and the side of her waist was completely green and purple. Other matters could wait, right now, this girl was in desperate need of medical attention. "Let's go," He said plainly, moving back towards the guild.

Erza nodded and followed closely behind, barely succeeding in matching with his speed.

**.**

**.**

"How is she?" Makarov asked softly as he and Erza watched Porlyusica treat the wounded girl with her magic.

"Her injuries have gotten worse." The healer replied.

Makarov gritted his teeth. "This is all my fault…" He muttered. "Had I stayed longer at your place, then…"

Porlyusica turned around, glaring at the short old man. "I believe that even if your skills excel hers in every way, you would not have been able to match up with her willpower."

He didn't want to admit it, but Makarov knew that it was true. The very fact that she could run all this way from the eastern forest and _nearly _transform into her Sitri form with such injuries defied logic itself.

The woman sighed. Seeing her past guild-mate and long-time friend act so depressed made her feel guilty. If only she put more effort into stopping the girl back at her house…

Erza tensed up. She could feel the heavy atmosphere and she didn't like it. "She'll be fine."

The two adults turned to the red-haired girl.

"She's going to be fine." Erza repeated firmly. She forced herself to smile as she looked to her rival. "She's the Demon Mirajane. Something like this wouldn't take her life away, right?"

Hearing that, the tension in the air was immediately lifted, even if it was just a bit. For Makarov, especially, he felt a rush of pride and happiness running through his veins. The somber Erza Scarlet he brought back years ago had grown up into a mature, strong, and just young woman.

Erza kept her eyes on Mirajane. She was only speaking her heart out.

Yes indeed, something like this wasn't going to take Mirajane's life away – at least, not physically. Lisanna's death, on the other hand…

"Erza, you said that Laxus was the one who carried Mira back?"

She nodded. "Yes, master. Though, after leaving her here, he left immediately…"

The gentle expression on Makarov changed instantly. "Useless brat," He grunted. "… Always appearing and leaving as he pleases…"

Erza blinked curiously. She thought that the master ought to be more surprised that his grandson actually took the effort to carry Mirajane back. Judging by the lightning mage's selfish and cool-guy (and, dare she add, asshole) personality, shouldn't he have turned a blind-eye to the entire scenario? Yet, there he was; he carried the Demon back here without uttering a single word of complaint, almost as if it concerned him.

**.**

**.**

"So… where's Elfman now?"

The loud whispers circulated endlessly around the guild. Laxus focused on his music, trying hard to block out the unnecessary questions that he, too, wondered.

"Master said something about him being with the Magic Council…"

The blonde stared at the contents in his cup.

"… I mean, he _did _technically… y'know…"

Laxus turned up his music, but realized that it was already at maximum volume. This was perhaps the first time he was frowning over his powerful ears. They always came in handy when he needed to sense for danger during his missions, but right now, he was unintentionally using them to listen to gossips.

"How do you think Mira will react once she finds out?"

The lightning mage moved his cup in a circular motion, swirling the contents inside.

"I don't know, man… I mean, did you see her earlier?"

He looked down from the railing to the first floor at Macao and Wakaba, along with some other people he deemed too insignificant to be known.

"Yeah. Poor girl's a mess. I've never seen her like that before…"

_God damn it._ This was why he was getting increasingly annoyed by this guild. It was filled with too many weaklings that didn't benefit it in anyway; all they did was mope around and chat, gossip, waste time…

"That's enough." A deep, masculine voice called from the lower level, silencing the guild.

Laxus placed his cup back onto the table and watched casually as his grandfather emerged from the medical room.

"Don't you idiots have more to do than to sit and talk?" Makarov scolded, his hands clenched behind himself.

Cana ignored his question, as she was far more worried about the situation. "Master, how's Mira?"

The lightning mage shifted his gaze to his grandfather.

"She'll be fine." He answered.

Everyone in the guild sighed with relief in response. Laxus closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

But then, Makarov quickly picked up again, "I do not want any of you to distract her for the time being." He took a moment to look everyone close by in the eye. "I also do not want any more unnecessary conversations that have anything to do with this matter." The master directed his order at the group gathered around Macao and Wakaba.

"O-of course, Master." Macao acknowledged right away, nodding. "… But we're just concerned about Mira… and Elfman, too. We're worried that the Magic Council might—"

"Nothing will happen to him." Makarov stated firmly. He started to head towards the exit.

Surprised eyes followed the short mage. "Master, where are you going?" Some asked.

"To the Council." He said without stopping.

Most already had an idea of why he was headed there, but, pessimistic as it was, many more already doubted that his presence would affect the Council's decisions, even if he was one of the Ten Wizard Saints. After all, Fairy Tail was the most notorious guild in all of Fiore. On many occasions, the Council had warned them of their reckless ways of dealing with their missions, but Fairy Tail always ignored such warnings. Unless the master could somehow get his friend, the Sixth Seat, Shitou Yajima to convince the other members, then there really was going to be no hope for Elfman.

He might be branded murderer.

"Behave while I'm gone. It's the least you can do for Mira." Makarov added sadly before disappearing into the rain.

Yes, peace and quiet was what the take-over mage needed. Everyone understood that.

As the mages in the guild slowly returned to their business, Laxus stood up and headed downstairs. He figured that his curiosity must be getting the better of him, because he wanted to see for himself that the Demon was actually alive and well.

Several mages eyed him suspiciously when he went for the door to the medical room, but Laxus found no purpose in eyeing them back with his deadly glare. They weren't worth his time.

Pushing the door open gently, he found Erza and Porlyusica at the end of the bed. The healer was talking to the red-haired girl, pointing at a mysteriously-shaped flask in her hand. It was probably some sort of treatment for the Demon, he figured quickly.

"Laxus," Erza called.

Expression blank, the lightning mage raised his palm to stop her. He walked closer to the bed, his eyes planting on the unconscious Mirajane. "When will she be up?"

Erza shook her head.

"It's probably best that she doesn't wake up right now," Porlyusica said in her stern voice. "… All those words coming from the people outside, if she heard any of it, she would only go out of control again."

"…"

The woman walked around the bed to Mirajane's side. Popping the flask open, she looked to Laxus, who was opposite to her. "Open her mouth."

He gaped. "Huh?"

"This heals her damaged organs," She explained, "I need you to open her mouth so that I can feed her."

Laxus scowled. "Why don't you do it yourself?"

Porlyusica's eyebrows narrowed, and it seemed like her red eyes were starting to glow. "Because I don't want to touch humans."

_Aren't you a human yourself? _The lightning mage wanted to ask.

Erza was witnessing the entire scene, and it was obvious that the two did not click. She intervened before Laxus could answer, "Here, let me—"

"No," Laxus said, almost as if he was insulted. Emerald eyes glowering at the pink-haired woman, he took a step closer to the bed, "I'll do it."

The re-quip mage didn't know what possessed the master's grandson, but she saw no reason to stop him. Erza shrugged, "Whatever you like," But then she remembered to add, "Just be careful."

He didn't need her to warn him. Gently, he pushed Mirajane's cheeks inwards, opening her mouth. If he didn't know any better, he would think that he was touching a corpse, because Mirajane's flesh was ice-cold. "Are you sure she's 'fine'?" Laxus questioned suspiciously. He was starting to believe that his grandfather was simply lying to everyone earlier so that they would shut up.

Porlyusica tilted the flask, letting a few drops of the transparent baby-blue liquids drip into the girl's mouth.

The lightning mage swallowed as he watched. Subconsciously, he believed that if he did it, then Mirajane would do it as well. Erza, likewise, gripped onto the ends of the bed as she watched her rival's throat move slightly.

Watching somebody swallow medicine had never been so nerve-wracking.

Just when the two young mages thought everything was okay, Mirajane started to cough. Erza, out of reflex, ran to the side of the bed, standing close to Porlyusica. "What's going on?" She asked anxiously.

Laxus removed his hand from the girl's jaw, and as he pulled back, a streak of blood suddenly flowed out of the side of Mirajane's mouth, staining the white pillow underneath in a bright, crimson colour. With no tissues or towels nearby, he quickly wiped the blood away with his own hands. "Old hag, are you sure that your medicine is working?" He asked crudely.

The woman shook her head in annoyance. "Healing isn't all sugar and rainbows. Nobody ever said that it wouldn't hurt."

"And nobody ever said that it would be _this _bad. Can't you at least make it less painful?" Erza asked as she ran to grab a towel from the shelf in the corner of the room. She returned swiftly and handed it to Laxus. "She's coughing up blood for god's sake!"

"Relax, you two," Porlyusica rolled her eyes. "She's fine. This is all part of the healing process."

They were skeptical, no doubt, but there was nothing they could do it about it. Healing mages were the rarest in the kingdom, so whether they liked it or not, they could only live with Porlyusica.

When the last of the blood was wiped away from Mirajane's mouth, Laxus heaved a sigh. "She'd better be fine. Otherwise, I'll chuck that flask down your throat."

Erza silently approved of his rude speech, even though she usually opposed to it. On a more important note, however, she was still wondering why Mirajane's safety was worrying him so much. Why did he even bother to come in and check on her anyway?

Wait. _Could it be…? A few days ago, when she saw the two cuddling and s-stuff… were they actually going out or something…?_

"Threatening me isn't going to speed up the healing, child," Porlyusica said sternly, breaking Erza's train of thoughts, "So I suggest you keep quiet before I decide to return to the forest. See who's going to help out this girl without me."

Laxus clicked his tongue. "Pft."

"Now," The healer started, "I am going to return to my headquarters. There are several ingredients I need to gather in order to make a secondary potion for her."

Erza blinked. "You have to go back? How long is it going to take? Can't we just get someone to do it for you?"

The series of questions put Porlyusica in an irritated stance. "Would any of you stupid humans even know the names of the medicine I require?"

"…"

"I thought so." She said cockily. Walking towards the door, the woman stopped and added, "I will be back by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, make sure the girl doesn't go out of control again," She paused to scoff, "… not that she can at her current state, anyway."

Right when the door behind the healer closed, Laxus growled. "If that old hag wasn't so important, I would've strangled her already."

Erza shook her head. "Calm down, there's no reason to get angry over nothing."

"She was taunting me." He spat, "She was taunting _you_ as well."

She shrugged. Looking at Mirajane, Erza decided to change the subject into a more on-topic one. "So, why are you here?"

Laxus leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Passing time." He answered.

She crossed her arms. "Huh, really, now?"

He cocked a brow upwards. "What's with your tone?"

Erza shrugged again. "I just find it odd. Someone like you who is always trash-talking Fairy Tail, saying how its mages are weaklings and how much you hate them… why are you wasting your time with one right now, then?"

The older mage smirked. "Simple," He stated, "The Demon is one of the strongest in the guild, and therefore she is worth my while."

_That's all? _Erza frowned.

"…" No, not really. Laxus avoided her gaze. He didn't know what he was saying. Truth was, when Laxus felt that strong magical power, releasing so wildly into the humid air, he knew something was wrong. It was the same energy he had felt two years ago in the outskirts of Magnolia; only, _this_ energy was much more hysterical and deadly.

Eventually, when he arrived and witnessed the dangerous scene, he couldn't help it but to stay and watch. Then, when Mirajane coughed up blood and lost balance, something just clicked inside him. Maybe it was reflex, or maybe it was just him trying to play hero, but he ran to catch her. Moreover, when the news of Lisanna's death hit him, Laxus just… had this desire to help – in whatever way he can.

"Laxus?" Erza called. The man was daydreaming.

He thought fast. Any more suspicion over his concern would only make him look weak. "You are worth my while as well, Titania." Laxus stated darkly, "Say, why don't we eliminate all the weaklings outside, and create a brand new Fairy Tail – one that only consists of strong mages like us."

_Yep, that was definitely all_. To think that the arrogant grandson of the Master actually had a caring side… Erza felt stupid for even having the slightest thoughts of that. Year by year, this lightning mage just gets more and more conceited. It was hard to believe that he was actually a member of Fairy Tail.

"No answer?" He chuckled. "Fine by me. The guild will eventually become mine, anyway."

Erza glared. She would definitely argue back, but not when Mirajane was here. She needed to be quiet for the girl to rest.

Laxus stood up from the wall. "Well, then. I'll leave this _nursing_ _business_ to you. I'm outta here." He said in a disgusted tone.

When the man was out of the room, Erza let out a deep breath. _God_, his arrogance was bound to give someone a stroke one day. How could _anyone _be such a… such an _asshole? _She shoved the thoughts aside and grabbed a chair. Moving it beside the bed, she sat down and kept a close watch on the unconscious mage.

Looking at her, Erza couldn't help but to sigh.

The problem with Laxus' arrogance cannot compare to the problems that Mirajane had to face from here on.

**.**

**.**

Laxus received a couple more stares from his guild-mates – _or people whom he claimed to be weaklings_ – as he closed the door. He once again ignored them, but also noticed that there were significantly less people than before. It was then he realized that it was already late into the evening. The sky had darkened, though the rain hadn't stopped. Perhaps he should go home, take a nice shower, and have a nice sleep before heading out for another mission?

He decided to go upstairs to the request board and grab a mission so he wouldn't have to come back tomorrow morning.

The lightning mage wasn't in desperate need of money, nor did he have a thrill for leaving the guild so constantly. He simply wanted to get stronger. He wanted to prove to everyone that he was hardworking, and that he was in no way dependent on his grandfather.

"Huh, eight-hundred-thousand jewels for taking out a Hydra?" Laxus read off the paper. That sounded like a good deal. As he was reaching for it, his attention shifted to the dried blood on his fingers.

The blood of the Demon.

Laxus paused.

"_In the meantime, make sure the girl doesn't go out of control again,"_

Porlyusica's words replayed in his head.

"… _not that she can at her current state, anyway."_

"Tch, what does that old hag know?" The lightning mage scoffed. He turned around and sat down at the closest seat from the railing. Relaxing his posture, he decided to hang around for a little while.

Just for a little while.

_Because it was still raining. _

He looked at the dried blood on his fingers again.

… _Not because of anything else. _

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Once again, your opinions are greatly appreciated :)**


	3. III

**A/N: **Thanks for your continuous support! :D

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**III**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Seventeen –

"_Your scar," _

_Laxus cocked an eyebrow upwards. It was unusual for this girl to start conversations – especially in such a casual manner, too. _

_Mirajane unfolded her arms and approached the young lightning mage. "Does it hurt?"_

_He blinked at first, but then a smirk spread across his face. "Worried?"_

_She rolled her eyes and ignored him, still staring at the deep scar on his right eye. Apparently, he received it from a 'very messy battle' in this year's S-class exam. "Looks like it's going to be there for a long time." She remarked._

"_Heh," Laxus leaned back on the clinic's bed, resting his head on his hands, "This is nothing. You should see what I've done to the other participants." He said smugly. Of course, Laxus wasn't in the clinic for no reason; he received other battle wounds from the exam as well, but of course, any scar on the face would be more significant than the scratches he'd received on his limbs. _

_Mirajane tilted her head, curious. "Was it difficult?"_

_Laxus grinned at the young girl. "Aren't you being a bit nosy? You joined the guild for only, like, what? Two months? And you're already wondering about S-class exams?"_

_She scowled. "S-class exams are a proof of strength, right? I want to join it."_

_He chuckled. Oh, this kid sure was ambitious, he thought. "What's the rush?"_

_Mirajane crossed her arms. "I want to get stronger," She muttered impatiently._

"_Huh," Laxus smirked again. "It's good to set goals and all, but shouldn't you train more to control your… what's your power, take-over?"_

"_Darkness magic," Mirajane added specifically. "It's more appropriate to call it that. My main take-over forms utilize that type mostly anyway." _

"_Yeah, so, uh, darkness magic," He continued, "It's hard to control, isn't it?"_

_She shrugged her shoulders. "More or less. Master said that apparently, you can lose your sanity if you don't keep it under control. He also said that it should be categorized as a Forbidden Magic because of its nature."_

"_Oh," Laxus shifted slightly – he actually had no idea. What a frightening power this little girl has. "I guess you should focus on controlling it, and then applying it to your take-over form? It's kind of like practicing a musical instrument; you have to start from the basics, and then put everything together to make it complete. It's only natural that you don't start from the hardest part, right? Otherwise you'll screw yourself over."_

_Mirajane eyed him peevishly. He sounded way too artistic and musical for his typical, arrogant front. "You're… sure about that?"_

"_Yes, I'm sure." Laxus answered her with a firm tone. "But kid, honestly, don't let the title of 'S-class' tempt you. It's just a title." _

_She bit at her tongue; now the blonde was sounding way too wise… Yes, it bothered her, she wanted to tell him to stop being such a know-it-all, but he was getting to the point. Everything he was telling her was the truth, so she couldn't counter him at all._

"_But it's a cool title," He added in all randomness, making the younger girl scoff. _

"_Whatever," Mirajane turned. As she headed for the exit, she spoke out, "I'm going to get stronger, and I'll become an S-class mage, just like you."_

_Before Laxus could react, the girl was already out of the room. His face twisted in confusion – so did that newbie just come in to ask him for advice, or… was that her way of congratulating him for becoming an S-class mage? Because right now, he felt really, really, _really _flattered. _

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Eighteen –

_She sure hadn't changed._

_His green eyes followed the movement of a certain platinum-coloured hair girl. Whether she was causing a ruckus with random people in the guild, fighting with Erza, being a show-off in front of her younger siblings, or being all soft and feminine to a crying Natsu, Laxus found himself unable to tear his eyes off the young take-over mage._

_It was her power and her talent. This girl had a dangerous amount of potential, he thought to himself, and if she continued to train as hard as she did each day, then in a matter of a year, she would become an S-class mage. _

_Speaking of which, she could even become the youngest S-class mage of Fairy Tail. Now that would be impressive. Hell, she could even surpass him very soon. _

_When the girl removed herself from yet another fight she had just started, her cerulean orbs clashed with a certain lightning mage's emerald ones. _

_Both individuals paused at the indirect contact. Mirajane's initial response was to scowl, but Laxus responded with a sly smirk – to which the former immediately turned away from. _

_How amusing. And cute. He couldn't forget cute. Laxus believed that she was being shy just now, which was an extreme rarity for the likes of that Demon. He could still remember that day, a year ago, when she came into the clinic to ask for advice. He was regretting it now, but he should have talked to her more after that. Perhaps he should flirt with her more often to get her to—_

"_Interested in little girls?"_

"_Wha…!" Laxus almost jumped to the voice. "Jiji!" He exclaimed, "Since when were you here!"_

_The old man burst into laughter. "Oh, I don't know. Since… erm… you were smirking at the little Demon over there, I suppose?" He held onto his stomach. _

_The blonde gritted his teeth, starring at his grandfather with a hint of annoyance. _

_Then, Makarov stopped. He turned to his grandson, "Kid, you have the strangest taste in everything."_

"_Strangest tastes? I think I need an example."_

"_Well…" Makarov tapped his chin lightly, "All the girls you've dated had problems! Some were so damn shy, and some were too freaking loud. What the hell is your type anyway?"_

_He rolled his eyes. "As long as they have a nice body, I don't care about anything else."_

"_Mmm, that's my boy." Makarov said, nodding modestly. "Say, Mira has a nice body too."_

_Laxus felt a chill run down his spine. He stood up straight in shock. "J-jiji, she's fourteen!"_

_The master chuckled loudly, "And she'll have an even nicer body when she's grown!"_

"_You're disgusting!" His face twisted in horror. "Whatever, man, I'm outta here." Laxus finished his drink quickly and put on his headphones. If he heard any more corrupting words from his grandfather, his mind would become tainted with sickening images of pedophilia (not of himself, but of his grandfather and little girls) and whatnot. _

"_Hey, Laxus!"_

_He looked down. "Oh, hey."_

_Lisanna beamed, delighted that he responded. "I'm going to be making some more snacks tomorrow for Mira-nee! Would you like to stop by?"_

_His lips arched into a small smile. He patted the young girl lightly on the head. "Your sister's going to murder my ass if I go anywhere near you—"_

"_Laxus!"_

"_Oh, speak of the dev – I mean, Demon. Speak of the Demon." _

_Mirajane, so conveniently, eyed him with her signature Demon-glare. "Keep your hands off my sister." She shoved the blonde's hand away._

"_M-Mira-nee, it's okay!"_

_Laxus did as he was told despite Lisanna's protests. "Alright," He raised his hands in the air, "I'm not going to touch her, let's not get violent, okay?"_

"_As long as you keep your hands to yourself," Mirajane grunted, "Then nobody's going to get violent."_

_He was about two heads taller than the girl, but from her dangerous stare alone, it made her seem like she was twice his size. Yes, Laxus had to admit – it was rare, but he was intimidated by none other than this young mage. _

_And it wasn't because of her power. _

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Nineteen –

_It was a fine day – sunny, cloudless, blue skies, the grass was green, the winds were calm… Laxus made himself comfortable, lying down on a small hill. The plains on the outskirts of Magnolia were one of his favorite places. It was quiet and remote, and best of all, nobody ever came here. So when he was in desperate need of alone-time, he would come here to relax himself. _

_And by 'desperate need of alone-time', it meant that he did not want to be distracted at all. _

_Especially not now._

_Definitely, __**not now**__. _

_Laxus breathed out – he tried hard not to put too much thought to it. As if it didn't bother him enough – the fact that he was getting more and more recognition from people because of his status as the guild master's grandson, and not because of his own power. Yes, of course it bothered him since he was young, but lately, it's gotten worse. _

_He had to prove himself. It was always' Makarov's grandson this', and 'Makarov's grandson that'. It was never Laxus Dreyar who did the job – it was Makarov's grandson, and Laxus was very much sick of that. _

_Laxus had always noticed that people gave him respect because of his position in Fairy Tail, but the expulsion of his father had made it even more obvious. Apparently, as said by some rumours, Makarov expelled Ivan Dreyar because he felt that Laxus was much more suitable to become the heir to the guild master position. Some even added that it was because the grandson was much more obedient than the son. _

Obedient.

"_Tch." He snarled, stopping himself from biting too hard on his tongue. But he wasn't a fucking dog. Why do people see him as a mere follower? Why couldn't they recognize him as a strong individual? Laxus was greatly irritated by this – he was even tempted to quit the guild so that he could join his father. Though, every time he intended to bring this up to his grandfather, his heart would start straining. It didn't hurt physically, of course; but the aching would always prevent him from succeeding. Sometimes, Laxus believed that it was a form of guilt. Or, on an even more unlikely case, he thought that it could just be himself, not wanting to leave at all._

_These conflicting thoughts would bring him here, to these empty plains. And he would stay here for as long as he liked, sometimes to the next day, until his mind was calm again._

_But then…_

_He couldn't keep calm; it was far too irritating. The feeling was getting into his mind, his chest – it was almost as if millions of termites were digging into his skin and engraving this annoying thought into every corner of his body. _

_That, and it was getting surprisingly cold for some reason. _

_Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Laxus opened his eyes. But surprise struck him as quickly as his irritation faded; the cloudless, blue sky had turned completely grey. It looked like it was going to rain. He sat up, brushing the pieces of grass off his sleeves as he stared ahead. The wind had gotten stronger as well, as it blew by the grass, creating violent green waves over the plains. _

_Suddenly, a grumble in the skies sounded._

_Laxus raised a brow. Yes, he was a lightning mage, and, yes, his emotions played a large role in controlling his powers, but he did not do that. Thunderstorms weren't common in Magnolia, so this was quite peculiar. He stood up when another, louder grumble was heard. His eyes narrowed with suspicion – the clouds were too dark, almost black, and it was very strange; the clouds were spiraling over a very specific place – this couldn't be a normal thunderstorm. Laxus walked up the hill, following the centre of the spiral, but when he reached the summit, he realized that the source of the spiral was none other than a certain take-over mage. _

_It was quite a sight; dark, magical matter was emitting from her small body, almost shooting up into the sky in a frenzied—_

Wait.

_Laxus' eyes widened. He ran to the girl who was kneeling on the ground, "Mirajane!" He placed a hand on her back, but immediately pulled away when the contact stung him. Laxus winced slightly, glancing at his hand – it was burned. The magic emitting from this girl was lethal. _

_But he wasn't going to stop. She was shaking. And it looked like she was in pain._

"_Hey!" Laxus tried again. He moved in front of the girl and, ignoring the pain, knelt down to grab onto her shoulders to make her face him. What shocked him at first were her eyes – those sparkling cerulean eyes were now sharp, icy-blue, and pupil-less. Her ears had undergone transformation, and they were now long and pointy, almost elf-like. The girl was also panting with difficulty – it looked like she couldn't breathe. But above all of this, what frightened Laxus the most were her tears. Mirajane was crying._

"_Ugh…!" Still holding onto her shoulders, he could feel his flesh burning away. He needed to stop her, and he had to do it, fast. "Mirajane, snap out of it!" Laxus was tempted to struck her with lightning to knock her out, but it was probably better if she didn't get any more agitated, for it seemed like the reason for her loss of control was some sort of turmoil. _

_Could it be… because Erza was chosen over her to take the S-class exam?_

_No, that couldn't be it. Mirajane was competitive, but she wasn't a sore loser. Even if it was because of this reason, he would've had it last time, when he met her on the outskirts where she was training (and got him all soaked, ruining his favorite headphones). _

_Elfman and Lisanna were both healthy and happy, so what possibly…?_

_Suddenly, Mirajane's sharp claws reached to grab the lightning mage's shoulders. _

_Laxus ignored the fact that her claws were digging into his flesh. He held onto her tighter and paid full attention. It looked like the girl wanted to talk. _

"_I… I…"_

"_What is it?" He said immediately._

"… _I c-can't control…" She was speaking disconnectedly. _

_It didn't happen often, but right now, Laxus was getting scared, shitless. "Calm down," He said, both to her and himself, "Take it slowly, don't force yourself."_

_She tried. Actually, she had been trying for the past few minutes, now. "My transformation… t-the Satan Soul I recently took over… i-it's…"_

"_Sitri?" Laxus cut in. Everyone in the guild was talking about, how it was a prince of hell that ruled over sixty legions of demons. How Mirajane, this tiny, young girl, managed to take-over such a being was truly insane. But if she had already succeeded in the first place, there was no way that she would lose control randomly. "Do you know why this is happening?"_

_She shook her head desperately, her grip on the lightning mage getting firmer. "I-I just want… want to be stronger…"_

_Laxus knew that this wasn't the time to scold her, but he couldn't help himself. "You're getting consumed by your own magic! What the hell are you talking about, 'getting stronger'?"_

_She shook her head desperately, "I… I promised…" She stuttered, "I p-promised that I would take care of them…"_

"_What…?" _

_Promise. _

_Take care. _

_**Them.**_

_This girl promised to take care of her siblings for—_

"… _I need to get stronger…"_

_The black magical waves were getting heavier. Laxus could see, the dark colour was going to consume him as well. The feeling was quite contradicting; although he could feel his flesh burning, he also felt incredibly cold at the same time. Darkness magic truly was astounding; it was absorbing all of his bodily warmth, and he could swear – impure and malevolent thoughts were being planted into his mind. _

_He wanted to murder someone in the most painful ways._

_And he wanted to do it NOW. _

"_M-Mirajane… stop it…!" He coughed out the words, still managing to restrain himself. "You're going to die…!"_

"_I need to get stronger."_

_Those words continue to echo. Mirajane was repeating herself mindlessly, and Laxus could not take anymore. Agitating her or not, Laxus did not want to die. He moved to grab the girl's head and let out a small current of electricity, enough that would knock her out cold._

_But what had happened instead was unexpected – Mirajane's blue eyes sharpened even more. She let out an animalistic growl, and pushed the lightning mage onto the ground, pinning him tight with her strong yet petite body. _

_It took him a few seconds to realize his position. When he regained his senses, he reached up just in time to grab onto the Demon's wrist, stopping her claws from stabbing straight into his face. "Mirajane!" He shouted, "Stop it!"_

_Mirajane's teeth gritted, revealing her sharp fangs. _

_He tried again, calling even louder this time, "I said stop! STOP IT! MIRA!"_

_She thrust her hand down with more strength, her nails now mere millimetres away from Laxus' head._

"_YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF ANYONE LIKE THIS!"_

_All of a sudden, the strength escaped her. _

_Laxus took this as his chance and flipped their positions, with him now on top of her. He grabbed onto her wrists to make sure that she wouldn't fight back. "Getting stronger and being desperate are two different things!"_

_Her black pupils returned to her cerulean eyes. _

"_You were being more than desperate just now…!" Laxus went on. He was literally scolding her, "And that will get you nowhere."_

_Her ears, teeth, and nails reverted to their original, human form. _

"_…_ _Your parents wouldn't want that."_

_But her tears never stopped. In fact, when Laxus said that, she began to sob. _

_And it wasn't surprising to Laxus when she did._

"_Stop crying…" _

_Because, after all, that day was the anniversary of her parents' death._

_**.**_

_**.**_

– Twenty –

"_Why…?" _

_He breathed out, "I'm bored," and shrugged, "… of you."_

_The young woman continued to sob. "But w-we just started…" She held onto his hand._

_Laxus drew his hand away from her grip defensively. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm bored of you, and that's that."_

"_Y-you can't be so selfish…"_

_He shrugged again. "Can't help it, sorry about that."_

_And then she ran off, crying pathetically. _

_Laxus sighed with relief. Geez, that one was hard to take care of. He couldn't understand why people would fall in love with a douchebag like himself – oh wait, of course he knew why, he was Makarov, master of Fairy Tail's grandson. Dating him would guarantee them wealth and power, so why the hell wouldn't they endure his horrible attitude? _

"_Damn it." He slammed a fist on the wall he was leaning on, gritting his teeth with frustration. _

_He kicked at a garbage can angrily, sending the trash inside flying all over alley. "I am not a fucking dog." Laxus grunted. _

"_And she isn't your bitch," A feminine voice sounded from the end of the alley. _

_He looked towards it, somewhat relieved when he saw that the person wasn't one of his exes. _

_Mirajane shook her head and made the dumbest decision to approach the lightning mage. "You didn't need to be such an asshole to her."_

_He held onto his head and rubbed his temples. "Why is it that," Laxus paused to scowl, "I always run into _you_ of all people?"_

"_And when you do, nothing good happens." She added cockily._

_He breathed out. "You know, it's quite dangerous for you to approach me like this."_

_Mirajane lifted a brow and folded her arms. "Why's that?"_

_Laxus smirked. In a teasing fashion, he walked up to the girl, which made her back up uncomfortably. The alley was narrow and tight, so it didn't take her long to reach the opposite wall. "I can do so much to you, right here."_

_She really had to thank the dark, because right now, she could feel that her cheeks were flaming red. Mirajane composed herself. Arms still folded, she said, "You reek of alcohol."_

_Laxus let out a sinister chuckle. He leaned closer, so that his breath hovered over her skin. "Do you like it?" The man came even closer – his lips were almost touching the girl's soft cheek as he whispered his words._

_Mirajane simply turned her head away from him. She was so prepared to punch him, but she held back. Reaching out to push against the taller man's chest, she spoke up, "I'll take you back to the guild."_

_He burst into laughter to her casual response. "Are you looking down on me as well, huh?"_

_She narrowed her brows. _

"_Am I just the guild master's grandson to you? Is that what I am?" He was speaking very, _very _loudly. "Everyone else in the world – they all think of me as nothing! I'm a grandson – I'm HIS grandson, and nothing else!"_

_Mirajane allowed him to finish his rant, and then she sighed deeply. "I don't know what you're so angry about," She said. "All I know is that you're Laxus Dreyar. I don't know what you mean by 'everyone else in the world'." Mirajane pushed at his chest lightly to get him off, which, to her surprise, worked. She wrapped a slender arm around his waist and pushed him forward. _

"_What are you doing?" He asked angrily. _

"_Helping you. It doesn't seem like you can walk," Mirajane answered. She rolled her eyes, "… To, y'know, return the favour…"_

"_Huh?"_

"_What happened on the plains that day…" She spoke quietly._

_He blinked. It took him a little while to recall what she was talking about. "Oh," Laxus said. "That was so long ago. I don't even remember."_

"_Well, I do. So I need to return the favour."_

"_Honestly, all you have to do was come with me on a mission. Now that would be fun," He grinned._

_Mirajane sulked. "No thanks," She said sarcastically. "I wanted to return the favour for the longest time, but you're always out on missions, and so am I. Our schedules simply don't clash."_

_Laxus exhaled. "Well, I'm saying, just leave it .You don't need to—"_

"_No," She interrupted, "I do."_

"…"

_In a spur of awkwardness, Mirajane cleared her throat. "T-to… thank you, for not telling anyone about it."_

_Laxus chuckled lightly as they finally made it out of the small alley. "You know, I'm starting to believe what Lisanna once told me, that you're actually a nice person."_

_Her cheeks flushed red again. Gods, this man was uncharacteristically talkative and flirty and nice when he was drunk. She kept quiet and walked on. If she said anything, her embarrassment would be full-blown. _

"… _Do you think you can cook for me sometime?" _

_She tensed up and looked at him, "Ge—what!" _

"_Lisanna said that you would cook for anyone you like, so I just assumed…"_

_The girl gasped – or rather, squeaked. The blush returned, and she couldn't hide it this time._

_Laxus burst into laughter once more. "I'm just screwing with you." _

_Mirajane glared, and then she pouted. Man, this freaking lightning mage…_

_It was Laxus' turn to gasp this time. Just now, the Demon actually looked… he couldn't put a finger on it… cute? He cleared his throat and swallowed. It must be the alcohol… the alcohol… "Erm… but still…"_

"_Eh?" She reacted rather too much to his sudden conversation-starter._

_He scratched his cheek with a finger. "You're really protective over your siblings."_

_Mirajane blinked to his weird remark. She didn't need to think twice to respond to that. "Well, of course." She said, "I mean, they're all I have left."_

Oh, right.

_Laxus mentally kicked himself in the head for saying something so stupid._

All Mirajane Strauss had left were Elfman and Lisanna.

**.**

**.**

– _**Twenty-one –**_

He actually already had a feeling what had happened when he heard the sound of materials clashing onto the floor. But what he did not expect was how much effort she had made to get this far. Porlyusica had put a spell on her – if she tried to walk, stinging pains would spread to every corner of her body. It was a form of magic to bind her down. Cruel, but it was effective to even the most well-known criminals. If they did not do this, they fret that she would only go out of control again.

Very evidently, however, it looked like the spell wasn't enough to bind the Demon Mirajane down.

He closed the door behind him and stood in front of her. "You shouldn't be able to move," Laxus said. She was on the ground, taking in painful yet desperate breaths of air.

The Demon glared at him dangerously. She gripped onto a leg of the closest clinic bed, pulling herself up with all her might as each wound on her body continued to sting. Mirajane tried to walk forward when she was up, but her feet would shoot waves and waves of throbbing currents to her entire body whenever she applied pressure on them. She tried to shove the pain aside, but the _other _pain, the one in her ribs, wasn't cooperating. It was like her body was standing against her own will; it was preventing her very being from leaving this room.

Once again, the pain washed over and Mirajane fell, landing hard on the cold floor.

She cringed at the impact, but did not let it stop her. However pathetic she looked to him, she didn't care. All Mirajane knew was that she needed to get up. She need to _fucking get up._

Laxus couldn't stay still anymore. He walked right in front of the girl, and immediately, Mirajane's eyes shifted cautiously upwards. It was obvious – she wanted to take on a battle-stance, but she lacked the strength to do so. She probably used the last of it to stand up just now.

Poor girl; she must've woken up to the realization that even though her little sister was gone, she still had a little brother. And right now, she wanted to help him. She _needed _to protect him.

Otherwise, she'd really have nothing left.

"Get away from me. " Mirajane hissed, pushing herself up with her jelly-arms.

Laxus cocked a brow upwards. Slowly, he knelt down, almost as if he felt that it was necessary to mock her. "Why should I?"

His whisper summoned tears to her eyes, and she couldn't control it when they threatened to spill out. Mirajane could only glare, her demonic gaze daring him to touch her. "Put a finger on me, and I'll rip you to shreds."

The lightning mage snickered darkly. Right when he thought that their relationship was getting friendlier, she was saying these things to him. Injured or not, it was not a good idea to piss her off. But he was, in no way, threatened by Demon Mirajane's words.

Especially not now.

_Not when she was crying like this._

"Rip me to shreds," Laxus repeated flatly.

Mirajane managed to push herself up in a defensive, kneeling position. "Go away…" Yet she failed to bring her head up as she talked.

Her white bangs hid her brilliant eyes, but Laxus could see those tears hitting the ground, splashing into tinier drops. He could see Mirajane clenching her fists tightly, to the point that her body trembled. He didn't want to remember it, but this reminded him so much of that time, two years ago, when she had gone out of control.

Except this time, it wasn't for her parents.

He spoke up again, "What are you going to do if I don't?"

Frustration was already pent up within her; Mirajane did not need anyone to add oil to the fire. She bit at the insides of her mouth, "… What do you want from me…?"

Laxus almost twitched. It was not right; this weak voice did not belong to the Demon he knew.

"Please…"

A chill ran straight, like a bullet, into his heart.

"… just go away…"

It was utterly hard to watch. He kept still, silently staring down at the girl before him. When Mirajane brought her head up, their gazes clashed once again, and then Laxus realized what it was that really bothered him: the shine, the radiance in Mirajane's cerulean eyes was gone, just like that time, two years ago. The spark within her was dead; there was no desire to fight, to dominate, or to win. There was only weakness.

"I need to help him…"

He knew very well who and what she was talking about, but Laxus knew better than to encourage the girl to move around even more when she was at this state. More importantly, Mirajane's words were piercing into his chest, and it ached, in a non-physical way which he was completely unaccustomed to.

"You don't," Laxus started softly, "He's fine."

Mirajane gasped. "E-Elfman… he's… he's not hurt, right…?"

Yes, he was alive, but to say that he was not hurt, then he'd be lying. Regardless, Laxus' instinct told him to nod his head, which he did. "Yeah,"

She was trembling again. Whether it was because of relief or worry, neither of the two in the room knew. "You're not lying…?"

A muscle in his jaw flexed. Laxus shook his head. "I'm not."

Mirajane breathed out. She allowed her body to sink forward – a sign of relief – and she fell into Laxus' chest. Not that she cared anymore, she was so tired. Knowing that her little brother was safe and not hurt was enough. "C-can I see him…?"

"…" Entering the Magic Council was out of his power. Laxus decided to change the subject. "You need to heal up first."

But Mirajane was a very determined person. "I want to see him," If she wanted something, she would get it, no matter the costs.

"No," Laxus said strictly. "Not when you're in this state."

She was getting impatient, and, above all, angered. Mirajane tried to stand up again, but the pain from the spell and the lightning mage held her down firmly. "Let me see him."

He held onto her shoulders. Laxus hated to admit it, but he needed Porlyusica right now; he needed her spells to knock her out in a non-violent way. "You need to rest."

"I need to see him…!" She was squirming.

"Can you not be so stubborn?" Laxus raised his voice.

And Mirajane, too, raised hers, "Can you mind your own business!"

His emerald eyes grew sharp; now _he _was getting pissed off. In a flash, he pulled her up and carried her to the farthest bed, away from the exit (which, originally, was her bed all along), and set her down.

"W-what are you doing!"

"Do you," He pushed her down flat on the bed, "Think that it would please Elfman if he were to see his only family member left in this world look like such a wreck?"

Her mouth hung open, but no words came.

Laxus went on, "It would tear him apart, wouldn't it?"

Mirajane looked away.

"You promised to take care of them, didn't you?"

"…" The tears came back naturally when he said that.

"Well, you can still do it," Laxus' voice softened. "But you can't unless you take care of yourself, first." Finally, he released her and pulled away.

"…"

Laxus sighed at the uncomfortable silence. "So just… get well," He said in an instructing-manner, "And then you can worry about the problems in this world."

_Tch._

"… get well…" She whispered to herself.

_The problems in this world, he said._

"And then worry about the problems in this world…" Mirajane repeated unconsciously.

_At that time, he was twenty-one, and she was seventeen. _

_**They**__ were each others' problem. _

**.**

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**Tsundere Laxus and Mira ftw :3  
Please review!**


	4. IV

**A/N: **Sorry! I was _(insert excuse here)_, that's why it took so long to update. Yeah...**  
**

* * *

Take your time.

_I need to grow up faster._

Slow down.

_I need to take care of them._

Don't let it consume you.

_But I can't control anything. _

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**IV**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"_Understand this, Mira," Makarov spoke to the girl calmly, "Your form of magic… it's not, strictly saying, well…"_

Frown.

_The elderly master was one of the only people whom she respected in this guild, but she couldn't help but to interrupt, "Strong? Safe? Good? Something along the terms, I'm guessing?" She listed out impatiently._

_He shook his head. "It's definitely strong, alright. Dangerous, even. Many of the council members – myself included – believe that it should be categorized as a Forbidden Magic." The shorter man explained, "So…"_

_Mirajane folded her arms. "Master, I know very well that it's hard to control," She said, "That's why I train."_

_Makarov eyed the young mage, concern spilling out of his stare. "Yes, I know you train, Mira. In fact, I know very well that you train hard." He paused, shaking his head once more. "And that's exactly why I'm worried. You tend to work _too_ hard. You never give yourself the time to breathe. If this continues, I fear that you may lose it one day."_

_She heaved a sigh, shrugging her shoulders. "Well… I think I'm still managing."_

_Makarov narrowed his eyebrows. "Darkness Magic is extremely unstable, Mirajane."_

_The master's rare, heavy tone was frightening to many, but not to her. Why, of course she knew that her own magic could kill her if she wasn't careful – she was informed of that ever since she discovered this power. _

_Mirajane simply smirked. "Thanks, master," She unfolded her arms and started to walk away, "But, really, I can take care of myself."_

_As the girl moved further away, Makarov added one last bit, "It's going to consume you if you don't slow down."_

_Mirajane stopped._

"_Slow down," He said again, "… not just in training, or accepting missions, or anything like that."_

_She turned around to face the master. _

"… _but in life." Makarov said. "Always, you're in such a hurry to grow up."_

_Mirajane looked to her feet._

_The old man went on, "You need to take your time."_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"Porlyusica," Mirajane called, just before the healing mage could reach for the door.

She turned to the young girl, sitting – emotionless – on the bed, still bound by that cruel spell.

There was a moment of silence; perhaps Mirajane couldn't believe that she was actually doing this. "I won't go anywhere," she stated delicately, "so please, undo this."

The pink-haired woman stood still. She stared at her patient silently, wondering to herself if this was the actual Mirajane. After all, the infamous and greatly-feared Demon, here, was begging. Of course she had to take a two to confirm.

"I'm sorry,"

The girl tensed slightly.

Porlyusica reached for the door again, "Releasing you would mean more work for me."

And then the woman was out of the room, leaving her alone again.

**.**

**.**

Take your time.

_I need to grow up faster._

Slow down.

_I need to take care of them._

Don't let it consume you.

_But I can't control anything. _

**.**

**.**

She had been absolutely still for the past few hours. Whether Porlyusica chose to help her or not did not matter in the first place. She didn't need help – Mirajane _never _needed help from anyone. Not the people in the guild, not Erza, not Laxus, not Master…

…

… _not her parents, not Lisanna_, not Elfman.

Because when they help, because when they even _come close _to doing something for her, nothing good would come out of it.

That was why she never asked for help.

Mirajane breathed in a steady rhythm. She kept her eyes closed and her posture comfortable because, one, she could focus better, and, two, moving pointlessly fucking _hurt_. This spell… it wasn't particularly a high, council-levelled one, it was just complicated. Complicated, but it was also a type of darkness magic.

And she knew darkness magic best.

Already, she figured out that it was just a series of magic energy flowing into every one of her neurons, cells _– whatever_, controlling a large majority of her nerves – particularly the ones that dealt with pain. If she could neutralize all of this foreign magical energy from her body, then she would be out of this pain-prison.

She took a deeper breath, preparing herself.

She had been hard at work for the past three days already, without anyone knowing. Mirajane first tested out her strategy on the joints of her fingers first; simply by shooting her own magic into the cracks of her nerves where the foreign energy occupied was all that it took. Though, she did remember that there were over millions of nerves in the human body, and that was why so far, she only got rid of thirty percent of the binding-spell. To speed up this process, to get out of this prison faster, she needed more power.

Just this was not enough – _not the slightest bit enough. _It truly was frustrating; Mirajane needed to focus better, but the pouring rain that was splashing against the window wasn't tolerating. She needed to _control _better, but in the current state she was in, her darkness magic – which she was ironically using – wasn't exactly easy to handle. And as obvious as it was, Mirajane wasn't particularly the patient type, so in turn, more frustration built up, and less accomplishment was done.

Mirajane clicked her tongue.

This was bullshit. She could create holes in mountains, manipulate rivers, control the clouds, and make the skies obey her will, but _this_? What the hell? What was it about this juvenile, trivial, _stupid_ binding-spell? Her body tensed up, her fists tightened into balls and her knuckles cracked.

Just then, the door to the clinical room burst opened.

"Mira!" said the red-haired girl who entered.

Faint, black waves began emitting out of Mirajane's body and more of that frustration built up. This was so_ stupid. _She was getting so _fucking angry—_

"… Mira!" Erza sought no hesitance; the all-too-familiar, cold, _life-sucking _energy in this room (which she could feel from miles away) could only come from her one and only rival. She dropped the tray of food she was supposed to deliver on the closest bed-table and ran up to the Demon. Ironic, but Mirajane was sitting casually on the bed and at the same time, she was posing as a dangerous threat. The dark waves coming out of the Demon's shoulders were intensifying; Erza knew that she had to stop Mirajane soon, otherwise…

The scarlet knight grabbed onto Mirajane's shoulders.

Yes, it was dumb. And yes, Erza knew that the effects of touching those dark waves were deadly because right away, the said, cold, _life-sucking _feeling drilled into every inch of her body. If she wished to live… if she cherished her life even the _slightest _bit, she had to let go.

… But she couldn't just leave this miserable girl, could she?

"Mira," Erza fought away the coldness with all her willpower, "You need to stop this."

…

… _Why wasn't it __**fucking **__working? _Mirajane breathed out, nearly making an animalistic, growling noise as she did. She focused harder, and as she did, those waves surrounding her body darkened into a shade that went far beyond the colour description of 'black'.

It was like seeing hell itself. The vivid, sharp images of pain and suffering of her past… _death, Rob… a-and… and __**him**__ – _flashed through her mind in agony. Erza knew that this was just an illusion, she knew that these were just the effects of the Demon's darkness magic – _SHE FUCKING KNEW_ – but everything was so real; the sounds, the smells, the pictures, the _senses_—

"God, damn it… Mira…!"

…

"… _Your name," _Erza could see the boy with blue hair say to her. He was smiling. Through her tightly shut eyes, in the dark, that malevolent, evil child was _smiling _at her. "… _it's full of kindness, brightness, and warmth."_

Erza bit at her lower lip. "Shut up…"

"_Your hair—scarlet—"_ He spoke in a ghostly yet _gentle _manner, _"Erza… Scarlet—"_

She lost her breath. The boy was still there. He was still _fucking there— _"… leave me alone… get away from me…! Please…!" Erza begged lowly.

…

The glass cracked. Mirajane's magic had somehow pierced through the solid material without her intention, and it was that sharp, glass-cracking sound that broke Mirajane's concentration. Having lost to loss of control, she was about to grunt in annoyance when she suddenly caught sight of a body in front of her. "E-Erza—" Before she could finish, the re-quip mage started to fall—

Everything was turning dull; her vision was becoming blurred. She didn't want anything more, she only wanted to give up. Erza wanted to give up on life. _She wanted to die. _She would much rather _die_ than to experience hell all over again.

—and as the scarlet knight fell, Mirajane, still sitting on her bed, somehow caught her without much effort. Gently, she lowered her rival to her knees, allowing Erza to rest her upper body on the side of the bed.

"… Erza?" Mirajane called softly. Her rival's rapid panting and shivering was starting to worry her.

Took a moment, but when she regained her senses (sanity, rather), Erza spoke up in broken coherency, without raising her head. "Y-you have _got _to stop using your magic so mindlessly…" Her voice was muffled in to the mattress. "And just… what exactly were you doing…?"

Mirajane looked oddly at her rival. It wasn't often that Erza Scarlet talked to her with her head down. She thought for a moment, and then looked outside the window. "I… wanted to stop the rain."

Slowly, the re-quip mage brought her head up. She eyed the Demon with wonder and curiosity and confusion all at once. "What…?"

"… I was… bored."

An eyebrow arched as high as it could reach.

Mirajane looked away.

After a bit of silence, the red-haired mage broke the awkwardness and commented, "You're crazy."

She looked back to her.

Erza shook her head, defeated. She did not feel like questioning the reason behind her excuse. After all, the reason itself was already quite obvious. Though she still felt like beating her rival up for draining all of her strength and energy. It _really _wasn't smart to mess with Mirajane, especially when you didn't have the intention of fighting back. Throwing a thumb over her shoulder, Erza spoke up again. "You're paying for that."

The platinum-haired mage blinked and followed wherever she was pointing at. "Oh." It was a crack on the window – just a minor little scratch, no biggie. "I can afford it."

"Of course you can." Erza said, rolling her eyes. Though a large portion of her strength had yet to return, she was fine enough to stand up. "I've brought you food," she said and walked back to the tray she had left earlier.

As she watched, Mirajane felt that it was necessary to say it, "Hey, uh…"

The re-quip mage came back with the tray in her hands almost instantly. "What?"

Mirajane took a deep breath. "Sorry," she muttered, "… about what I did."

Erza placed the tray in front of her rival and then crossed her arms, regaining her commanding-posture. "What are you talking about?"

"I nearly killed you, didn't I?" Mirajane said.

Was that guilt in Mirajane's voice? No, not just guilt alone. Erza could also hear shame, and she didn't like it one bit. True, she had indeed experienced something much worse than death just now, thanks to the Demon, but above revenge, she wanted her rival to go back to how she usually was. So, she answered in her arrogant tone, which would typically make the Demon argue back. "You, kill _me_?"

But the Demon only raised her head weakly.

Dull blue eyes met piercing hazel ones. A muscle in Erza's jaw twitched uncomfortably as she watched – _god damn it, Mirajane – _but could not watch long enough, for she couldn't stand it. This difference, this change, this… _person_. Erza couldn't bear to look. In fact, she was going to go insane if she stayed any longer. "Eat. Porlyusica will come by to check on you in a bit," She instructed blankly, not wanting to drag on the non-progressing conversation. "Make sure you actually eat this time, though. Or else you're going to have it again." And then she made her way to the door.

"Hey, Erza…"

Her hand already on the doorknob, the re-quip mage turned to her call. "What is it?"

Mirajane clenched onto the sheets of the bed. "Really… I'm sorry."

Erza's eyes swelled in an instant to the sound of her weak voice.

She looked toward the red-haired mage once more and went on, "I'm so sorry," Mirajane said, smiling faintly – _shamefully – _at the same time. "For everything. Everything I've done."

It was an instinct, a reflex. Upon seeing her smile like that, Erza simply felt the need to say it; she felt that it was necessary, that she would _kill_ if anything stopped her from saying it.

"Please… don't apologize," Erza replied, keeping her voice firm. "You've done nothing wrong."

**.**

**.**

"Happy?" Erza called to the blue cat. If she were her usual self right now, she would be scolding him, but quite frankly, she wasn't in the mood. "What are you doing up here on the second floor?"

With his head down, Happy turned to the scarlet knight, almost in slow-motion. "E-Erza…"

Her eyebrows narrowed. "Is something wrong?"

Tears were threatening to spill out of Happy's large eyes as he answered. "Natsu… he… he's…"

Immediately, she tensed up. The fiery pinkette couldn't possibly be doing dumb things again, could he? _Well, he usually goes crazy whenever things don't go his way, so—_

"… he hasn't been home for a week… I don't know where he went…" Happy continued, still sobbing.

"A week…?" Erza said with wide eyes. Come to think of it, the boy hadn't appeared in the guild for the entire week. She thought that he was simply out, doing missions, to get his mind off the death of his close friend, but to not inform Happy about it? This was very unlike Natsu. "Happy, where did you last see him?"

"H-here…" The cat stuttered. "On the first day Mira was brought in to the clinic, Natsu ran away. I-I don't know where he went…"

Erza thought fast. That idiot – knowing him, he would be storming to seek revenge, but… the 'killer' was Elfman. There would be no way that Natsu would harm anyone in the guild, right?

"Erza… p-please find Natsu…"

The S-class mage loosened up. She quickly gave the blue cat a slight smile, remembering that Natsu was very much a guardian – _no – _an older brother to Happy. So to have a family member go missing all of a sudden like this, Erza could almost feel the pain Happy was going through. "Don't worry," She said, patting the cat on the head, "We'll find Natsu."

Happy sniffed. "R-really?"

Her smile widened. "Yeah. It's going to be fine."

"Oh, ho, ho… what's this?"

A deep, mellow voice coming from below the staircase interrupted the two. While Happy jumped to the sound, Erza reflexively got into her battle stance. She _really _wasn't in the mood for this guy right now. The footsteps ascending the stairs became louder, and soon enough, the sight of bright, blonde hair caught Erza's hazel eyes. Subconsciously, she bit at her tongue to contain her frustration.

"What's the little, talking, flying kitten doing here, on the S-class floor?" Laxus asked mockingly.

Happy took a step back, clearly frightened, but Erza kept her stance firm. She stood to shield him from Laxus. "Come on, Happy, let's go find Natsu."

Obviously, Happy was far more attached to Erza than Laxus, even though the former was equally as scary. He summoned his wings and followed after the knight without any further questioning. Passing by the lightning mage, Happy remembered to avoid eye contact, as that alone was able to freeze him on the spot.

Unaccustomed to being ignored, Laxus clicked his tongue and folded his arms. "Hey, aren't you being a bit rude here?"

Erza ignored him and walked on, straight to the staircase where the lightning mage came from.

He scowled with annoyance. "If you're looking for Natsu,"

She stopped instantly. Erza spun around.

"… I've seen him hanging out near the mountains."

"Mountains...!" Happy exclaimed, catching both S-class mages' attention. "T-that's where Lisanna and we used to play together…!"

"Lisanna…?" Erza said with surprise. "Then that explains it. Come on, Happy, let's go!"

"Unn!"

The two rushed down the stairs. From the second floor, Laxus could see them bursting out the exit, and running mindlessly into the thick, pouring rain.

"Hn, how pointless."

Bored, and realizing that he was left alone, the lightning mage heaved a long sigh. He sat down, relaxing on a bench by the railing. He leaned back, resting his head on the wall and stared down at the first floor. "Now then," the air, he realized, had gotten dangerously thick today, and it wasn't because of the quiet atmosphere of the guild. "… what should I do?" He stared at the entrance to the clinic.

**.**

**.**

There was a presence approaching – one that wasn't stoic and heavy like Erza's. Rather, it was… static, peculiar, and… _familiar_? The only person to give off this presence in the guild, to her knowledge, had to be him.

"You're not eating," said a voice she knew very well, which also confirmed the identity of the person in question.

She ceased the magical flow inside her body, so that what happened to Erza this morning would not happen again. Her initial reaction was to glare at him and say something like _'it's none of your business'_, but she did not find the point in arguing at the time. Hell, she didn't even feel like arguing with Erza, so why waste time on _him_? Instead, she lied down from her sitting position and closed her eyes, hoping that the lack of attention she was giving him would make him lose interest and leave.

But no, he did not lose interest. In fact, Laxus was intrigued. He was intrigued by the Demon's calmness, her lack of will to fight, her vulnerability, and… and just _her_. His feet moved on their own, drawing himself closer to the young girl whom he continued to observe in silence.

"What do you want?" She scowled as she spoke.

Laxus hooked his foot at a leg of the closest chair, dragging it to the side of the girl's bed. His eyes travelled around the room, and once he found an answer, "I'm hungry," he sat down. Grabbing the untouched tray of food in front of Mirajane, he went on, "Don't mind me, I'm just going to help myself."

Mirajane stared at him lifelessly, lacking any form amusement.

Using the girl's bed as a table, Laxus really did help himself. "Wish I came in here earlier," Laxus said, cutting the meatloaf into neat squares. "The food's cold."

"…"

The awkward silence prompted his eyes to dart upwards; of course, once he did that, his eyes only clashed with those boring, dull, blue ones that he wasn't one bit fascinated with. Well, to be frank, he wasn't _just _not fascinated with her lifeless eyes – perhaps subconsciously, he was hoping for the girl to talk back; maybe she could flinch an eyebrow at him? Or, simply, she could even rolled her eyes at him, showing some sort of human response…

"I'm quite disgusting, aren't I?"

Her sudden, and rather, _random_ statement caught Laxus off guard; he blinked to bring himself back. "What?"

She stared at the man blankly, keeping still and quiet.

Annoyed, he tried again, "Kid, what are you—"

"I almost killed Erza."

Laxus froze.

She continued, "Without my knowing," Mirajane looked down at her hands, "I was only trying to cancel this spell, but my magic, it just…"

He, too, looked at her hands, which were now shaking unstably.

"… Something's wrong with me." Mirajane stated firmly. "I… I could've killed Erza."

Laxus watched her clench her fists – the girl was tensing up; it almost seemed as if she was getting more and more delusional.

"She was trying to help me… and I-I just…!" She paused to breathe, "_I _can't help _anyone _in return…!"

Her voice was rising, even the tension in the room was getting thicker. Yes, Mirajane might actually be—

"I can never help anyone, and I _never will_—"

"Stop," he cut in, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"…"

"Just… stop." Laxus said softly.

Staring at him with a straight face, Mirajane did just as she was told.

He waited until she was breathing evenly again, and then he removed his hand from her shoulder.

Realizing the trouble she may or may not have caused, Mirajane started immediately, "I-I'm sorry…"

Her apologetic voice, which he was –_ once again_ – unaccustomed to, threw his gaze away. Right now, Laxus decided to look at anything and everything _but _the girl.

With all seriousness though, _why did he come in here_? Of all the things he could be doing – like going out for another S-class mission, bothering the weaklings in this guild, or simply just taking a drink… why did he choose to come in here?

His head dug for the answer, and it dug deep. Without his knowing, at the same time, his eyes unconsciously met Mirajane's, and – _god help him – _how he wished he wasn't spacing out. Because right then, he was locked in the most sorrowful gaze ever. Beautiful, but sorrowful. Heavy, wavering feelings overwhelmed him, and he couldn't shake them away. Laxus started to hate himself; he hated himself for losing guard, for deciding to come in here, for not being able to foresee this, and… and he hated how he suddenly felt so _vulnerable_—

"Laxus—"

"Stop." He said again, surprisingly not in a harsh way, but strong enough to interrupt her once more. Laxus turned to the window, where he stared at the endless rain pouring outside.

Seeing how the lightning mage was clearly in here for his own joy and entertainment… or whatever the hell it was, and that he had no reason to listen to her speeches of grieving, Mirajane silently cursed herself for speaking out so stupidly. Yes, she was so _stupid. _Mirajane had to grip onto her blanket to channel this anger away.

"The rain," Laxus started.

Mirajane looked up and turned to the blonde.

His eyes glued themselves to the endless raindrops, and then he went on, "It bothers me."

"…" She stared at his back in silence as if she were waiting for him to continue his captivating story.

"It bothers you too, doesn't it?"

She couldn't give him an immediate response, as she was far too stunned by the fact that the cold, arrogant, lightning mage was trying to have a casual conversation with her. She shook her head to bring her conscience back. "I…"

"Let's go out for some fresh air." Laxus finished.

Mirajane jumped when he suddenly turned his head around. She eyed the man in a questioning manner, waiting for him to list out the reasons.

Laxus looked out the window again. He really didn't like the rain, but he decided that needed this. _She _needed this.

Mirajane believed that she was probably dreaming. Just what in Magnolia was this man trying to do…? "What…"

"Fresh air," Laxus cut in before she could finish.

Her eyes followed him like magnets as he placed the tray of food on a solid table. She was quite amazed by the fact that he actually cleaned up after himself.

"Well, what do you say?"

Okay… she probably _wasn't _dreaming. Mirajane's initial reaction was to frown at his nonsense. "In the rain,"

"Yes," he said easily, "In the rain."

Her frown deepened. "You said it bothers you,"

"Can't stop me from doing what I want." He walked back to her bed after washing his hands.

"What do you want?" Mirajane's annoyance was rising, but so was her curiosity.

The man rolled his eyes. "I said I want some fresh air. Do you not know what 'fresh air' is or something?"

… And did this man know that she was bound by a spell? … Actually, of course he knew. Hell, he was there when Porlyusica casted it, he was even there when she tried to escape _so_ _miserably_—

"Come on, stand up."

The way he said it so impatiently shocked her at first, but then her expression soon twisted in confusion and bewilderment and… well, mostly confusion, as she wasn't completely repulsed by the idea of taking a walk with him (which she shamefully regretted). Still, she wanted an answer.

"L-Laxus, why…?"

He ignored her and bent down, leaning his upper body over the bed as if he was going to pick the girl up.

The Demon was long grimacing. She tried her best to shove him away when his arms stretched out. "No, stop it," she protested, unintentionally whispering.

Laxus smirked. "Still got the power to argue, huh? Even after your nonstop usage of magic for the past three days…"

Mirajane raised her head. She glared at him.

The blonde simply prolonged his cocky smirk.

Then, it came to her – _of course_, a powerful mage such as Laxus would've felt it for the past three days; she was only using a little bit at a time, but even the weakest mages could have felt her eerie magic if they concentrated hard enough. So, of course Laxus knew that she was trying to break away from this spell. He probably didn't say anything because it was too troublesome, or because he didn't care.

_So… what was all of this?_

"Why are you doing this?" Mirajane questioned, strangely without threat.

The man in question stared at her with a blank face. Good question, he thought to himself. Why, really? Why was it that even though he had an idea, he couldn't say it out? His mind began to wander off as he searched for an answer – actually, more appropriately, his mind wandered away to think of a plausible excuse.

"Because," Laxus started.

… _it is not true,_

"I feel like it." He reached out a hand to the girl.

… _that you can't help anyone._

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Stuff is happening at last!  
Please review as always :D**


	5. V

**A/N: **As always, thank you so much for reading!

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream  
**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**V**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"Laxus,"

The man stopped.

Mirajane crossed her arms and, of course, felt the shocks of pain shooting in her veins again. She easily shoved them aside, however. "Y-you're…"

He raised a brow.

She kicked herself mentally. That stupid stutter right now was strictly because of the pain; it made her sound like she was shy or something – especially because of what she was about to say, "… you're not covering yourself."

Laxus was all but confused – he'd be lying if he said that he didn't care what she was getting at, though.

"The umbrella," Mirajane cleared her throat, "Stop covering just me. You're getting wet."

He looked to his right arm which, indeed, was drenched. The sleeve of his shirt was completely soaked, but what he found strange was that he didn't realize it sooner. Perhaps he was caught up with… no, _no_. No way. That shouldn't be it. Laxus breathed out.

He should change the subject.

"Can't let your Highness get hurt by the rain, can we now?" He smirked that signature smirk of his.

Mirajane stared at the tall man, her mind unable to come up with a reply. Actually, her mind wasn't _unable_, it was just blank. She looked at him, and, _dear god_, she wondered why she did. Before she knew it, before she could control herself, her eyes were already framing the sharp feature of his masculine facial structure – from his lean forehead down to his thick, golden brows that matched the colour of his hair, to his striking emerald eyes, to the bridge of his nose, down, down to his lips that were pursed into a smirk. Not any ordinary smirk though, Mirajane had to note; it was a small smirk that made him look like he was smiling – if only just _slightly. _

Like, a smile. As in, to be clear, _not _a smirk.

"If it really bothers you," He bent down so that they were facing each other at eye-level, "Then put your arm around mine,"

Oh, never mind. It wasn't a smile after all. She leaned back, scowling.

"If you'd be so kind to cling onto me," he was smug – flirtatious, even, "then maybe the umbrella can cover me as well."

What was most frustrating was the fact that she actually thought it wasn't a bad idea. But it wasn't like she was going to agree to it. No, of course not. Not in a _thousand _years. "Nobody told you to hold the umbrella for me," she said in a strict voice.

"Yes, yes, you're right… nobody told me to," Laxus stood up again, without breaking eye contact.

Still grimacing, she watched him cautiously. Through all these years in the guild, they've been nothing more than guild mates who often quarrelled with each other (no matter how one-sided it may seem). Sure, there were a couple of times when they helped each other out, but whatever the case was, Mirajane was sure of one thing – that she _for sure _was not fond of this arrogant man. He was far too—

"… but I'm choosing to."

His sudden response put her at shock. She stared at him, wide-eyed.

It seemed like the rain was getting heavier; the tapping sounds of raindrops on the umbrella became more pronounced, and that was when she realized: they've been walking for hours – or, at least, it felt like hours. Usually, walking from the guild to the mountains of Magnolia would take her a few seconds (if she felt like running with the wind that day), or it could take her a few minutes (if she was simply jogging). Today, most likely because of her injuries (it could _only _be because of her injuries), they've been moving at a pace comparable to that of an old lady's. Mirajane wasn't completely against the idea of taking a walk – she herself agreed that she needed fresh air and, more importantly, did not want to stay for another second in the guild's damned clinic.

Their gaze remained locked until Laxus blinked once, slowly. When his eyes reopened, he turned to look elsewhere. "How's that spell holding up?"

Obviously, he was trying to break the silence. Mirajane had no reason to not answer. "As long as I don't make any sudden movements, it won't hurt."

"I see."

_Good. _A conversation, right there. As silly as it sounded, Laxus was proud that it worked out.

… Still, at this pace, even an old lady would get annoyed, right? Besides, it wasn't like they were getting anywhere. So far, they've been following the mountain's path, and it was only a one-way trip. There were no forked roads or whatever. The things surrounding them weren't particularly fascinating to look at either; there were only trees, rocks, farther away, there were mountains, and surrounding them, rain and wet gravel. If anything, this was very, _very _depressing.

"Where are you taking me, exactly?" It was Mirajane's turn to speak up.

Instead of replying, Laxus started to walk again, making the young take-over mage follow after.

She sighed heavily. Mirajane really wasn't into an argument right now, so she decided to keep quiet. Plus, she was somewhat curious about whatever this man was going to do. Not many knew, but Mirajane was quite in for surprises.

But to be frank, she liked _good _surprises.

And, pathetic as it was to admit, a tiny, optimistic part of her was expecting him to show her something nice. Maybe he pitied her, and decided to be a good guy. Maybe… just, _maybe_… he was taking her to see Elfman?

Mirajane silently hoped that it would be something like that.

Though the larger part of her which, unfortunately, was the pessimistic side, knew the truth. This walk had nothing to do with Elfman.

Still in the midst of her pointless thinking, Mirajane came to an abrupt stop when Laxus stopped moving again. She looked up with the intention of questioning him, but—

"Hn," the man began all of a sudden, "what could he be doing here?"

She blinked several times to Laxus' statement. _Who…? _Mirajane looked to whatever the lightning mage was looking at, and, oddly enough, "Natsu…?" A certain pink-haired boy was kneeling on the ground. In front of him was some sort of fort… or a nest, put together by straws and hays. It looked big enough to fit two people, though it looked more like a child's clubhouse or something, based on the structure.

The said pinkette turned around slowly. It didn't happen right away, but he started by blinking several times, and then his jaw hung loose, eyes opened wide.

"Natsu…"

The boy gasped.

Mirajane wanted to go to him, but she stopped herself. It was almost as if she frightened him or something, as this was a sight of extreme rarity; Natsu… he was stepping back – _in fear – _and he looked as if he was possessed, afraid, _haunted._

"No…" He breathed, moving further back.

Ignoring the stinging effects of the spell, Mirajane stepped forward, moving out of the umbrella's cover. "Natsu, what…"

"No, Mira… I…"

Being confused was probably an understatement; she had never, ever, _ever _seen the infamous hothead act like this before, nor would she expect anything like this would happen. Her brows narrowed and she continued to move closer towards the boy, whilst the rain poured on her like a garden hose turned to the maximum.

"Don't come near me, I don't know—"

Hearing that only provoked the take-over mage. Her fists tightened into balls despite the pain and she picked up her pace. The spell was no longer an issue; she had more important things to worry about.

Before Natsu could say another word, the older mage was kneeling in front of him, his wrist gripped firmly in her hand.

He breathed desperately and tried his best to look at anything but her piercing cerulean eyes. Because, he knew, they'd be burning with anger, and he wouldn't know how to deal with it.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Her demand sent shivers to every corner of his body. He winced and shut his eyes.

This was pissing her off. Her grip on the boy's wrist tightened; she was sure by now that she was hurting him, but she wanted answers. "I asked, Natsu, what the _hell _are you doing!"

The boy stayed still.

Mirajane gritted her teeth. "Natsu!"

"I-I don't know…!"

She was taken aback by his sudden outburst.

Not too far away, Laxus' sensitive ears twitched with caution. He was picking up two familiar presences, and sure enough, when he turned his head, he spotted two figures (or, more accurately, one human figure and one _flying-weird-creature _figure) approaching fast.

It was none other than Erza and Happy.

"Laxus…?" The scarlet knight spoke out when she saw the tall man.

But what caught Happy's attention instead was a boy, farther back. "Natsu!" He called cheerfully. Without hesitation, the blue cat flew straight towards his friend, only to be blocked off by Laxus, who raised his palm to stop him. Happy quickly looked to the lightning mage – he actually wanted to ignore any scary (or even lethal) order from him, but his thoughts were dropped instantly when the man shook his head lightly.

Erza walked up to the two. She met eyes with the man, eyeing him in questioning.

Laxus responded by shaking his head again. "Not now," and then he lowered his hand.

Happy flew close to Erza's side. Seeing the lightning mage at ease, deep inside, the two believed that it was perhaps better to listen to him. The trio then watched in silence.

"…"

"… you… don't know…?" Mirajane began, "What do you mean, 'you don't know'?"

Still unwilling to bring his head up, Natsu replied with effort, "I don't know what I'm doing!" He yelled, "And I don't know _what _to do!"

Her hold on his wrist loosened.

Natsu took the opportunity to pull away. "I… I've never felt so useless…"

Mirajane's hand hovered in the air; she had forgotten how to move.

"I'm sorry." The boy muttered. As weird as it was, Natsu Dragneel was apologizing. "Mira, I'm so sorry…"

Gritting her teeth, "It's not your fault," she replied immediately with a straight voice.

He wasn't going to take that. "No… if I had trained harder all these years, then I would already be an S-class mage! I-if I already am an S-class mage, then I could've come with you!" Natsu shook his head, frustrated, "All the crap I've said about protecting people… I… i-if I was stronger, then Lisanna—"

"Natsu," Mirajane cut in softly, stopping the pinkette right away. She placed a hand on his head, "You can be a lot of things," she looked at the tears in the dragon slayer's black eyes, threatening to spill out, "but that wouldn't change the fact that she's gone."

He blinked.

"…"

Maybe it was her smile. Mirajane's kind, tender, _rare _smile. The sight of it truly was _deadly – _he could feel himself shudder and grow more afraid of everything surrounding him. It was almost like he had lost all precaution and instincts; Natsu suddenly felt vulnerable, wanting to be protected. The tears in his eyes finally fell, mixing with the cold raindrops on his cheeks. They streamed down together, dropping to the gravel below, forgotten.

A hand moved to cup the back of his head, "Please, don't blame yourself," Mirajane went on, her voice gentle, "… she wouldn't want this."

His breath was taken away. Natsu lowered his head.

She exhaled deeply and pulled the boy close to herself, letting him sob into her shoulder. "Don't cry."

It was a request. Unlike the usual, bossy commands, her voice was tired and… sorrowful. But, really, who could blame her? With that, Natsu tried his best to breathe evenly again – if she didn't want him to cry, then he won't, because disappointing Mirajane was probably the worst thing to do right now.

The boy was shivering oddly, and Mirajane knew this behaviour way too well. She had felt enough of this when she was younger, when her parents passed away, and when she had to hold her siblings through the nights… "What are you doing out here, anyway?" So she changed the subject, starting a new conversation.

"I…" The boy stuttered, "I didn't know where else to go…" He pointed behind himself, "This fort…" he sniffed, "… s-she built it for me and Happy…"

Mirajane felt her world spin for a second, and then swallowed the lump down her throat, "This isn't like you at all, Natsu," the girl said.

He could hear her speaking with a smile. "A-and… this isn't like you either, Mira,"

She chuckled, knowing exactly what he meant. "I think you're forgetting something,"

Natsu pulled back.

Mirajane rested a hand atop the pinkette's head, surprising the latter. "I'm _really _into cute things, and your crying falls into the category." She finished with a bigger smile.

Initially, Natsu was frowning, but when the older girl started to mess with his hair playfully, he broke into a grin, and soon, he was chuckling with her. Warmth returned to his chest for the first time in seven days, and, boy, did he miss the feeling. "Mira," he called.

"Hmm?" She tried to brush the pinkette's bangs away from his eyes, but the rain only forced them to fall out of their place.

"You're much nicer than I thought you were," he said, still grinning. "It'd be nice if I had a sister like you."

Mirajane blinked at him.

"NATSUUUU!"

A blue cat crashed straight into his face.

Happy hugged his head tightly, covering his face entirely and bawled. "I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU WENT! I WAS SO WORRIED!"

"… mmmrr grmmmng mmmghh…!"

"What was that?" Happy drew back.

When the blue cat was off his face, he gasped for air desperately. "I said…! _You're killing me_!"

"Oh!" Happy wiped his tears away with his small paws, "I'm sorry Natsu! But I'm so happy you're okay!"

The fire dragon slayer scratched the back of his head. He was never good with situations like this, so he chose to stay quiet, grinning stupidly at the same time.

"Happy wasn't the only one worried," came a familiar voice.

Natsu and Happy looked to the person, and both jumped to the sight of the mage.

Erza approached them in her demanding-posture, arms crossed. "You really had us worried there, Natsu." She stated.

Always being fearful of the scarlet knight, he looked down, "I-I'm sorry…"

She huffed. "I'm not going to do anything to you, so just relax,"

"Y-you're not…?" Natsu asked hopefully, "b-but I…"

"No, I'm not," Erza spoke, "but I _am _going to have you explain to me why you thought it was wise to just leave everything behind and run away."

"E-eh—!" He was cut off, as Erza suddenly dragged him up by the arm.

"You're coming home with me," she demanded, gripping at him tightly.

"But… Erza…!"

"Honestly," came a softer voice.

Natsu and Erza looked down to Mirajane, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"… you should at least be a bit softer to him once in a while," Mirajane raised her head, smiling half-heartedly at her rival. "He _is _still a boy."

Natsu was genuinely touched by her words. He could break down into tears again right then and there, "Mira…"

Erza could only stare. This was so unlike her – Mirajane was clearly hiding the things she truly wanted to express. She was never good with having heart-to-heart talks with people, so Erza had one way to reply, "You're not coming back with us?"

She shook her head. Despite how close she was to the fort, the thick sheets of rain made it seem unclear – almost like it was blocked off by some physical wall. She breathed out, "I want to stay for a little longer."

Right away, the re-quip mage comprehended. Without saying another word, she pulled Natsu with her, Happy following closely behind.

"E-Erza, Mira's still—"

"Just leave her." Erza said, without looking back.

Natsu, meanwhile, blinked with a hundred questions waiting to be asked.

_It wasn't like Erza to just leave her comrades alone… even if the comrade was her rival Mirajane…_

His confusion was cut short, however, when he noticed a certain lightning mage not so far away, standing nonchalantly under his umbrella. "Laxus…?" Natsu realized that he must have been far too caught up with emotions and Mirajane being nice to notice the man's presence. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but—

"Watch her."

—Natsu heard Erza say softly when they passed by the lightning mage.

Face straight, Laxus breathed out quietly – it sounded like a gesture of comprehension or something.

Natsu blinked. His young mind could not take in whatever was going on, so he looked at the two, back and forth, forth and back, again and again. He didn't know what to do, but he did know that there was something going on between the older mages, and that he should not stick his head in.

It wasn't long before they were left alone again. Erza, Natsu, and Happy's presences no longer detectable, Laxus took the queue to step towards the Demon. He moved close enough so that his umbrella would cover her, even though the latter was already soaked. Her hair, originally tied in a simple ponytail was now a mess, the black tank top that she frequently wore was so drenched it clung onto her body like bathing suit; the worst part was probably her lower body, where her skirt and boots were covered with dirt and rainwater. It was downright miserable to see the girl like this. "Hey," he started.

It wasn't his voice that caught her attention; it was the cease of rain. Mirajane looked up to see her escort eyeing her with a blank face.

He stuffed his free hand into his pocket, silently waiting for the girl to speak up first because it was so obvious that she had things –_ a lot of things – _to say.

And, sure enough, "Can you believe it…?" She began, her voice as soft as a whisper, "He said that he… he actually would want a sister like me…" Mirajane stifled back a sob. "Even after all the things I couldn't do for my brother and sister…"

"…"

"… I still can't do anything…"

Laxus couldn't bear standing and doing nothing; he bent down, so that he was kneeling beside the girl. "Are you sure about that?"

Mirajane turned to him, somewhat surprise that he was trying to make a conversation with her.

"You got him out of his angst," Laxus shrugged. "That's something, isn't it?"

At first, Mirajane was at a loss of words, but she was able to pick up quickly, "Natsu is a very emotional person," she paused, sighing. "But he still has a very childish and innocent mind. Cheering him up isn't hard at all."

He listened to her speak through the heavy rain.

She fixed her eyes on the fort again. "Laxus, you brought me out here on purpose."

The man in question looked to the fort as well. "Hn, maybe I did."

Mirajane could laugh to his stupid statement if she weren't so tired and out of the mood.

Still, he felt that the girl had the right to know. "… Back then, I heard her mention some sort of 'second-home' out here in the mountains."

The take-over mage looked to him.

"The kid told me to come out here and visit her. She said that she'd make me food without letting you know." His eyes darted down to meet Mirajane's. "… Because if she did it back at the guild, she said that you would yell at her and everything."

Mirajane stared at him, wide-eyed and speechless.

Laxus' lips arched into a small… almost _sad _smile. "But I never visited."

Was that _regret _in his voice? Like the Natsu from earlier, Mirajane, too, had tears filling in her eyes, threatening to spill out. "S… stop…"

He did as he was told.

But she was already crying, tears streaming down her cheeks. Mirajane held onto her chest, aching in a throbbing pain incomparable to that of Porlyusica's spell. It was worse – far, _far _worse.

_What was this…?_

"…!" Mirajane gasped and fell forward, her body shaking unstably as she clenched even tighter at her chest. Something was tearing at her heart—

"Whoa – hey! Kid!" Laxus dropped the umbrella. He placed a palm flat on the girl's back.

—_she couldn't stop… she couldn't stop shaking_—

"Shit…" The Demon was going through a panic attack. Laxus did not need to think twice; he quickly swept her up and ran back down the path they came from. Thank the gods Porlyusica's headquarters wasn't far from here.

Mirajane was still holding onto her chest in the process, her nails literally digging into her own flesh, "I… I—"

"Just stay quiet!" Laxus barked.

"… s-sorry…"

He grimaced to her voice. The man didn't know whether he should be pissed off at himself for bringing that stuff up, or for bringing the injured Demon out here – _whatever the case_, it was ultimately his fault. He picked up his pace, "Don't die on me, Mirajane…!"

**.**

**.**

"—'_ve got to… her…!"_

A man's voice.

"… _help her…!"_

A man's voice – one who was very close by.

"… _cancel th— spell…—it's hurting—"_

Everything was unclear and broken… she couldn't tell what was going on no matter how hard she tried…

"_Stupid hag—"_

Wait… was that who she thought it was?

"—_I'll fucking kill you if you don't help her…!"_

**.**

**.**

Mirajane inhaled sharply. Her eyelids fluttered opened in a flash, almost as if she had woken up from a bad dream. And, _man_, was that a realistic dream.

… Speaking of dreaming, whose bed was this?

The girl quickly sat up and, strangely, before realizing that the binding-spell was no longer in effect, she noticed that she was no longer covered in dirt and mud and rainwater; she was completely dry and, on top of that, cleaned and was in new clothes. Even the bandages around her waist were newly-wrapped – which reminded her, the only pain she could feel right now was her broken ribs. The only reason she didn't pay much attention to it before was because the spell deceived her sense of pain, making her entire body hurt no matter what she did.

Mirajane took the time to observe her surroundings – light, lime-green coloured ceiling and walls… flasks of potions in dangerous-looking colours… and Laxus sleeping on a chair right next to her—

_Wait, what?_

"Laxus…?" She called out softly. No doubt she was in Porlyusica's tree-house… _thing_, but what was _he_ doing here? Mirajane got out of the bed. Slowly, she made her way towards the lightning mage, being cautious with each step she took.

The man had his arms crossed, head drooped, and was, clearly, sound asleep. A curious sight it was – Mirajane had never seen him so exhausted before. Not when he came back from his missions, not even after he argued with the master. This was… _very _strange indeed.

What was even stranger was that, like before, she couldn't pull her eyes off him. And then there was this weird need to reach out to touch him – her hand moved to him, inch by inch, in slow motion. The girl was completely fascinated by the fact that such a cautious mage wouldn't wake to her strong presence. Her fingers nearly touching his cheek, the door to the room suddenly opened. Mirajane gasped and stood up straight, preparing herself for whoever was entering.

Of course, in here, it could be none other than Porlyusica.

The healing mage first scowled at her, and then she went back to minding her own business. She made her way towards one of the many potion flasks in the room, "Don't worry about him, he's a deep sleeper."

Mirajane stiffened to the woman's words. She was never a paranoid person, but… _did Porlyusica know what she was doing…?_

"You've been out for almost a day, if you're wondering," the woman said as she poured a flask of red liquid into a clear blue one. The contents in the second flask quickly dyed into a hue of purple. "And he's been here for as long," she finished, swirling the flask in her hand.

Mirajane blinked. She looked to the sleeping man, and then outside the window. The rain had stopped, and it seemed like the sun was rising. "I… what… what happened to me?"

The woman turned her back against Mirajane. "You had a panic attack. How you got it, however, I need not question, nor do I care," she poured the purple liquid into a small, steel pot. "But he was the one who carried you here. That little punk actually had the guts to threaten me…"

_So… the person speaking in her so-called dream was…? _Then, it suddenly came to her, "W-who cleaned me up…?"

"Not me." The woman stated simply.

"Not… not you…?" Naturally, she looked to the lightning mage. "T-then…!" _Then he would've seen me—!_

"Relax," Porlyusica finally turned around. She came towards the girl with a small glass cup in hand, filled with the purple liquid from earlier. "Before you let your human emotions go out of control, let me tell you that the redhead came by."

"Redhead… Erza?"

The elderly woman nodded. "She was here to pick up your medicine, but seeing you here, soaked and covered in dirt, she decided to help you out. It was all for the better; if you stayed in your wet clothes, you would've gotten sick – which means more work for me."

Mirajane looked down to her attire. No doubt, these were her own clothes. So Erza even washed them for her…? Whatever the case, no matter who cleaned her up, things were still going to be awkward – she was a grown adult, after all.

"Drink this," the woman said, handing her the cup.

She took it without questioning.

"Down it." Porlyusica ordered, "It's the last you'd need for cancelling the binding-spell."

"You're letting me go…?"

"I have no other choice," she rolled her eyes. "You'd break out of it eventually. It was only a matter of time."

So she knew as well, huh? Mirajane downed the liquid in one gulp without taking the time to taste whatever horrible taste it might have given her.

The healing mage took the cup out of her hand and headed for the door. "Get out of here," she reached for the doorknob, "as soon as he's awake."

She didn't even have a chance to thank her – _not that she would anyway – _and the woman was already out of the room. Mirajane drew her attention back to the lightning mage, still, for some reason, lost in slumber. How fascinating was this? Truly, nobody would expect such a skilled mage to be such a – _the girl held back a giggle – _pig.

Once again, she reached a hand out, this time successfully touching his cheek.

… Nobody would expect such a _jerk_ to waste time on a useless being such as herself, either.

Gently, with the back of two fingers, she stroked the warm, surprisingly soft skin on his cheek. The girl smiled. Not that she didn't realize it earlier, but now that she was so close to him, this man was actually quite… handsome.

Laxus wasn't just cautious (at least, when he was awake, unbeknownst to himself), he was sensitive as well, and something was irritating, bothering him in his sleep. He groaned in annoyance, shaking head so that whatever was touching him would stop.

He was almost like a baby protesting, this man. Mirajane got the message and pulled away.

But he was going to open his eyes anyhow. When he did, to his surprise, he was greeted by the strangest thing, ever. Laxus had to blink several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. The girl… _Mirajane _wasn't scowling, frowning, _or _grimacing at him! S-she was just… just… looking at him with the _softest _expression.

This man's bewildered expression was fun to look at as well, she decided. His usual, sharp, angry-looking eyes were now wide with surprise and wonder, mixed together in the strangest way. Mirajane couldn't stop her lips from arching upwards.

Laxus couldn't even _fathom_ the possibility of this happening. So, he decided to be the first to speak up. "You're… smiling at me."

She raised a bemused brow. "Is it strange?"

"It's… weird," he paused, and then he met her gaze, smirking. "But it isn't all that bad."

Mirajane breathed out with amusement.

Likewise, Laxus' smirk widened into a small smile. "Does that mean you've finally fallen for me?"

She rolled her eyes. Right when she thought that this man actually had normal, perhaps, compassionate qualities in him… he was still the same, cocky, arrogant jerk known as Laxus Dreyar. "Piss off," she said without offense.

Not that he would take any, anyway. While the girl walked away to tie her hair back up in a ponytail, Laxus stood up from his chair, stretching and yawning at the same time. "Hey," he called to her.

She responded by turning around, her hands still fiddling with the ribbon in her hair.

"You hungry?"

Mirajane blinked curiously. "You want to treat me?"

"No…" Laxus dragged on his answer, "I was thinking that I'm finally going to get some homemade food from you. Breakfast is fine too, y'know?"

She frowned. "Me, cook for you?"

Laxus nodded, seeing no fault in his suggestion.

Finally securing her ponytail in the ribbon, Mirajane folded her arms. "For dragging me out in the rain _and _giving me a panic attack, I think _you _should treat me instead, and I don't mean a simple breakfast. I want something expensive, nice, and… hmm, romantic."

"Huh," he, too, frowned at her, "So not only are you violent, cruel, and boyish, you're also stingy and ungrateful."

Mirajane shrugged her shoulders, smirking. "Whatever you say."

Laxus glared. "Fine, I'll take you somewhere expensive, nice, and _romantic_ for dinner."

"Eh…?" Immediately, the smugness was wiped off her face. _D-does that mean that this would be… be a-a date…?_

The change in the girl's expression made a grin spread across the lightning mage's ears. "And soon, your Highness would _want _to make me breakfast."

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Your reviews will be greatly appreciated... I'm sure Laxus and Mira would appreciate it as well :3  
More to come soon – look forward to their date!  
**


	6. VI

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

_**VI**_

**.**

**.**

Her eyes blinked themselves open, but she remained in her position, unwilling to move. It wasn't often that she would leave herself vulnerable and fall asleep. No – especially not in such a loud area. Mirajane decided that, perhaps, she was just too tired.

_Too tired for everything. Too tired for the world.  
_

It wasn't the noise that woke her, and it wasn't hunger either. It wasn't the cold, nor was it a nightmare. She just woke up because she realized that there were tears again. _Tears _in her eyes – she was crying in her sleep. _How pathetic was that? _The girl wiped her eyes in a very subtle manner by twisting and turning her head into her arms, which she used as pillows on the table.

"REJECTED?"

Mirajane turned around, not solely because of the sudden, rather, _loud_ outburst, but more so because of the word. Like the rest of the people in the guild, she dropped what she was occupied with and looked at Cana and Levy who were sitting at the bar.

"C-Cana!" Levy was all but bewildered. "Sorry, guys…! It was nothing, nothing at all! Yay! Don't pay attention to us…!" She laughed nervously and waved her hands.

Everyone else returned to their business, but Mirajane, having nothing better to do, watched on.

The card-mage, however, did not care if she was being observed, nor did she care about being so loud. "Levy, you rejected _both _Jet and Droy?" She went on, "Seriously! I mean, they finally brought up the guts to confess to you, and you rejected them!"

The blue-haired girl stuck out her tongue. She scratched the back of her head, "Well, y'know… they're just not my type."

"Not your type?" Suspicious, Cana leaned in, "Are you just waiting for your prince charming to appear?"

Levy jumped to her words. "W-what are you talking about…!"

"What am I talking about?" The card mage seemed to be enjoying this. She slid even closer, snuggling close to Levy's side so that their arms touched, "Hey, hey, c'mon – you read a lot of books, you should know exactly what a _prince charming _is!"

"Y-you don't need to read a lot of books to know what a prince charming is…!" Levy countered feebly. "Stop – Cana! You're drunk!"

"When am I not!" The brunette ignored Levy's protests and moved closer. "Come on, come on, come on! Tell me, tell me! Levyyy!"

With that, Mirajane concluded that there was nothing else to listen to. Just Cana being Cana and Levy being Levy. She rolled her eyes and turned back around.

… Then she thought to herself, _what was she doing before? _

"…"

Oh right, she was sleeping, and she was dreaming about something.

Mirajane moved a hand down to her waist, grazing her fingers lightly against the bandages that were covering her wound underneath.

She was just… dreaming, and then she cried herself awake.

"Mira?"

Broken out of her thoughts again, she looked up. "Happy?"

The blue cat was holding onto a fish, almost as large as his own little body with two paws. "Mira… do you want my fish?"

She gave him a faint smile. "It's okay, Happy. I'm not hungry."

"But you haven't eaten for so long…"

_Two weeks, to be exact, _Mirajane thought. Well, once in a while, she would pick up a piece of bread, but after two or three bites, she'd but it back down. Many of the guild members have offered to buy her a nice meal, some even _urged _her in strict manners to eat – despite being afraid of her bullying-tendencies. But nothing worked. Mirajane would, like now, give them a faint smile and shove away the offers.

"Happy's right, Mira," Natsu walked to her table. "I know you're worried about Elfman, but you still need to eat…"

She turned her smile to him. "No, it's not that, Natsu. I'm just not hungry."

"Are you sure about that?" Came another voice.

The trio raised their heads.

It was Gray, who, strangely, was wearing a shirt. He had his hands tucked in his pockets as he spoke, "You're getting skinnier and skinnier to me, Mira."

The pinkette nodded. "Yeah, if even the ice-freak sees it, then it's pretty serious."

If it were in any other situation, Gray would definitely start a fight with the dragon slayer, but frankly, it wasn't wise to do so right now. He scoffed and went back on topic, "So how 'bout it, Mira? Why don't we grab a bite in town? I know a nice place,"

Natsu and Happy's eyes rolled suspiciously to the ice-mage. "You creep, are you… hitting on Mira?" The pinkette asked.

"He _liiiiiiiikes _her!" Happy teased, rolling his tongue.

"Wha—!" Jaw hung open, Gray took a step back, "No, I don't!" His cheeks were flushed, "I'm just trying to help!"

"Sure… _help_…" Natsu mocked, crossing his arms. Right next to him, Happy snickered behind his little paws.

Gray gritted his teeth. "Why, you little…!" He threw himself at the dragon slayer, subsequently pinning the latter onto the ground. "Can't you act more mature for once!"

Natsu pushed his hand at the other boy's face. "Coming from a pervert like you, trying to hit on Mira…!"

"Me, _pervert_?" Gray could barely get the words out, as Natsu was still covering his face. "You're going to die today, shit-fire!" He himself placed a palm flat onto the dragon slayer's face, covering _his _face.

Mirajane sighed. And here goes another one of their daily quarrels. She stood up – _guess it was a bad idea to stay on the first floor, after all_ – and walked away from the boy, but before she got too far, "You two better break it up before Erza comes back," she warned.

The boys froze. When they looked up, the feared demon girl was already at the other end of the guild, heading out of the giant doorway.

**.**

**.**

It really was nice to see the guild loud and lively again. At least then, she'd know that Lisanna would be glad, because, really, her sister wouldn't want her friends to feel sad for an eternity.

That was why Mirajane was trying.

She was trying very hard to be happy, but things weren't always so simple. She wanted to cook and eat properly, but she couldn't because every time she picked up the utensils, her mind would project sounds and images of her siblings whining in the background, complaining what they wanted to eat and what they didn't want to eat. She wanted to go on missions again, but she couldn't because her team… her siblings were gone. She also wanted to _stop being so fucking useless_. Mirajane wanted to do _something_, but there was _nothing_ she could do.

Most of the time, she felt like giving up – like, giving up on waiting for the Master's reply, forgiving herself, accepting the others' kindness, and… oh, giving up on life itself.

As she slowly made her way to the stairs, Mirajane crossed her arms for warmth. She wasn't particularly bothered by the cold, so, here she was, clad in her usual, simple, and – _mind you – _skimpy outfit, sitting at the top of the staircase as she stared at the town below.

She tried not to let the thick, black clouds and the wind bother her – both of which she hated. But at least on the up side, it wasn't raining. The girl hugged her knees and looked on across the gloomy town, as far as her vision would allow.

"Out here again?"

Mirajane didn't bother to move. She simply responded, "Erza," acknowledging the mage's presence.

The redhead sighed. "At least grab a jacket if you're going to sit here in this weather."

She felt the re-quip mage put something on her – it was a black cardigan, made out of thin wool. Mirajane didn't know whether she was shocked or touched; she stared at her rival, wide-eyed. "Uh, um… thank you."

Erza nodded lightly, but not before noticing those red, puffy eyes.

"Have you received any news yet?"

Right to the point, Erza thought. Who would blame her? The Master had only sent back one, and _only _one letter back since he arrived at the council, and all it said was _"Take good care of Mira". _That only made the girl worry more. But recently, Mirajane hadn't been too stressed with the issue – as in, she didn't run up to her every day to ask about the updates. It was almost as if she didn't care anymore, or as if she had given up.

Just_… almost. _

Erza, however, decided to mind her own business. She shook her head lightly in response, "Unfortunately, Master hasn't replied at all. I can't reach him through the Lacrima Crystal, either."

The latter she knew of, for she had tried using it herself at least twice a day. Disappointed, Mirajane turned back to look at the town. She buried half of her face behind her knees and sighed. "Would you stop me if I left?"

_Left to break Elfman out of the Council with her own power_, Erza's mind finished for her. "I…" The redhead began hesitantly. It wasn't in her to break the rules, and according to the rules, a member cannot simply leave the guild unless he or she were on a mission, injured or _deathly _sick, or was… quitting. None of the reasons suited the Demon's situation, so there was nothing she could do. "… I'm sorry, I can't let you do that, despite understanding the circumstances."

Mirajane hugged her knees close. "Mmm," she breathed, her tone strangely uninterested, "I'd figure you'd say as much."

"Listen," Erza took a step closer to the girl, "You've got to stop worrying. Maybe Master and Elfman are already on their way back? That would explain why we're not getting any replies, since we're sending everything to the Council."

A short moment of silence. And then, "No…" Mirajane started with a soft voice, "… if they really were coming back, Master would definitely give us a notice."

"Well… yeah, but—"

"Erza," the girl cut in easily. She turned her head, just about enough so that she could see the redhead at the corner of her eyes, "You really suck at comforting," Mirajane smiled. "So please, just stop."

Erza could feel her heart strain. It hurt because her rival – her rival who was so worried, who was trying so desperately to hide her fear – was trying to joke. The poor girl was trying to joke, so that others wouldn't worry. Erza caught those puffy red eyes of hers again, and the muscles surrounding her own eyes twitched slightly in discomfort. "I… I don't suck," she argued back, in the meanest voice she could muster, "_You _just don't seem to understand others very well."

The take-over mage breathed out with amusement. "I guess so," she turned back towards the town. "I don't understand a lot of things, actually."

Erza was almost saddened by the fact that she would give up on an argument so easily. These would usually lead to their daily brawls, which would then lead to more destruction of furniture or even _portions _of the guild. But Erza could only hope to fight with her distraught rival once again. Perhaps, even, the day will never come.

Suddenly, the skies above rumbled. It was unnatural – _artificial… _it was strange enough to put the scarlet knight on-guard. What followed after was flash, and then a lightning bolt shot from the clouds, hitting the ground behind the two. But it wasn't the lightning that shocked Erza, it was the sudden presence of a strong magic figure. While she readied herself into her fighting-stance, Mirajane chose to stay still.

"Ladies," Laxus greeted in an uncharacteristically gentleman-like fashion. Sparks of small, bright lightning bolts still covered his body as he approached the two. "What brings you out here on this fine, autumn afternoon?"

"Get lost," Erza crossed her arms, not even bothering to answer him.

"Hm?" The man tilted his head. Usually, he'd be amused by her uneasiness, but right now, his attention was captured by a certain take-over mage sitting at the ledge of the staircase. "Oh, so there you are."

Mirajane blew upwards at her bangs, clearly annoyed. The hairs then bounced back to their original places when she stopped. "I already told you, I don't want to have dinner with you," she said, bored.

Laxus smirked. He made his way past the re-quip mage, purposely brushing shoulders against the redhead just to anger her.

But Erza simply grunted. She didn't see a reason in making a big deal out of this.

"Yeah, I know I got rejected for the dinner thing," the lightning mage responded, and then he took out a piece of paper folded in fours, out of his pocket, "Then how about going on a mission with me?"

Erza raised a brow.

But Mirajane merely sighed. _By the gods, _this man was just— "Listen," she stood up and turned to face him, "I appreciate all you've done for me for the past few days, but—"

His cheeky smirk still remained spread across his cheeks as the Demon's facial expression changed for the better (at least to him). She now had her eyes widened, and, in an instant, she snatched the paper out of his hand. Mirajane read the words on it, over and over again. Her eyes then widened even more. What came after was uncertainty, however, so she reread the entire thing once more.

Curious, Erza got to the Demon's side and read the paper with her. "S-Class Mission Request: to infiltrate an entrepreneur's headquarters located in the City of Era. The entrepreneur happens to be a suspect of being the mastermind behind a high council member's recent murder…" she paused to look up, question marks filling her expression, "A council member's been murdered?" But before anyone could answer, she started again, "Wait – _Era_?"

The take-over mage still had her eyes glued to the request sheet. She was lost in her thoughts.

Erza gritted her teeth. Glaring at the lightning mage, she walked up to him, "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Why, of course," Laxus stated nonchalantly, despite having a death-glare directed on him. "I want a partner for this mission since Raijinshuu is out on their own."

The redhead grunted. Lowering her voice, "For your information, Era is where the Magic Council is located, Laxus."

"Yeah… and…?"

She moved closer, "You _know _that she'd go storming into the Council's palace if she had the chance…"

"Hn," he looked away, "I could care less."

"What… Laxus!" Erza barked. "Are you seeing her life as a _game_? Is she some sort of entertainment to you…!"

"Relax, Titania," he said with a smug face, "even if the Demon were to storm in, she'd come out unharmed,"

"That's not my point!" She growled, then quickly remembered to speak more quietly, "Mira still has bandages wrapped around her! If she does anything strenuous, she'd start bleeding again. On top of that, Laxus, you're inviting her to go on an _S-class _mission? Are you out of your mind?"

"I think I'm pretty sane," he shrugged his shoulders. "And do you seriously think the Demon can't handle a few fights with such minor injuries?"

She prolonged her glare. "It's not just the injuries I'm concerned about…" Erza grumbled. _God – _the amount of confusion this man was giving her… "Laxus…" The re-quip mage rubbed at the bridge of her nose to ease her headache, "… just what the hell are you plotting…?"

"Not plotting anything in particular," he said simply, "just in need of a partner, really. If you're so concerned, why don't you join us, Titania? We can have a fun time together, the three of us…" Laxus purposely stated his words flirtatiously.

Makarov's grandson or not, the urge to beat the crap out of him could not be sustained. She stepped forward, about to grab him by the collar of his shirt, "You—"

"Erza," Mirajane called softly, interrupting the one-sided argument.

The re-quip mage turned to her in an instant.

"I'm sorry," she smiled sadly at her rival, "I'm going to have to disobey you again."

"…" Erza couldn't find the words to respond.

"Please," Mirajane went on, "I need to do this."

It was Erza's turn to sigh. Once the Demon had made her mind, it was always impossible to change it, and when it came to things that related to her siblings, Mirajane would pour her heart and soul into it. "Even if I said no, you'd still go…" she stated quietly, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "I… I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not," Mirajane cut in right away. "Master's given you the task to take care of the guild while he's gone, and, knowing you, if you don't stick to it, you'd get all fidgety and uneasy."

She frowned. It was true; Erza was an excellent warrior, being able to take on multiple – _hundreds –_ enemies at once, but she did not possess any talent for multi-tasking. Walking up to her rival, the redhead sighed. "Mira, are you sure about this?" She looked to the side cautiously, seeing the lightning mage at the corner of her eyes. "I don't doubt your abilities even in your state right now, but I just can't trust him…"

Her lips arched upwards, displaying that kind and rare smile once again. "If you don't doubt my abilities, then you should trust me," she said. "So trust him, Erza."

"…"

She took the redhead's hands in her own, "It's okay," Mirajane reassured her, "I'm going to be fine. Actually, I think I can take off these bandages by now."

Again, those images flashed across her mind. There truly was a part n Erza that trusted the man, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Perhaps it was because once upon a time, Laxus Dreyar wasn't _as _bad? Perhaps, Erza believed, that a _nice side _of him still existed, and this _nice side _of his would only surface for certain people.

_Certain people such as Mirajane._

"Fine," Erza said, finally giving in, "but you need to promise me to _stick with the mission_, and don't do anything stupid, okay?"

She chuckled. "Who do you think I am? Natsu? I'm not going to storm into the Magic Council."

"Well…" Erza turned away, scratching her cheek. _Actually, storming in on things is so you, _"… Just making sure."

Mirajane rolled her eyes. "I'll come back in one piece, so don't worry."

Crossing her arms, "Okay, okay, I get it," she crossed her arms, "Just… be careful. And you can keep the cardigan."

Smiling, Mirajane lightly punched her rival's arm.

"Ow." The redhead frowned.

"Don't get too rough on Natsu, or I'll kill you," the take-over mage threatened jokingly, to which Erza easily smirked at. "We are leaving right away," she said, seemingly directing at Laxus. "I'm going to head home and pack first."

"I'll come by and pick you up in an hour or so, Your Highness." The sarcasm in his voice was overwhelming.

While Mirajane rolled her eyes to his stupid response, Erza gave him the _how-did-you-know-where-she-lives_ look, to which the man grinned smugly at. It wasn't long before the blonde and the redhead were the only ones left here, as Mirajane had already made her way to the bottom of the steps; the girl then seemingly blended into the crowds in the town below, disappearing.

Standing in the cold and letting the wind blow in her face wasn't Erza's favourite pastime at all; she turned and headed for the guild, avoiding any sort of direct contact with the man – _she definitely had enough of his arrogance for the day_.

"Her life isn't a game to me,"

Erza stopped, frozen. _W-what… what was that…?_ Slowly, she turned around, meeting the lightning mage's green eyes.

"I just don't want one of Fairy Tail's strongest mages to stoop so low. I cannot stand weakness."

"…"

"That's why I'm going to bring her back," Laxus walked to the edge of the first step.

A loud rumble in the skies, a flash of thunderbolt, and then the blonde man was gone. Erza stared at the black spot on the cement caused by the strike of lightning seconds earlier. Faint, black smoke came out of it as if the spot had been hit by a small bomb; Erza then looked up at the grey clouds – the bright lightning bolts moved further and further away, far unto the clouds that her eyes could not reach.

"…"

That, just now, was concern. It was concern that she heard in Laxus' voice. From that day he carried Mirajane home when she went out of control, to the day he took her out for _fresh air _in the mountains… to the same night when he stayed over to watch over her at Porlyusica's, Erza had already suspected. Now that she had collected enough evidence, Erza was sure. She was _positive_ that Laxus had some sort of overbearing – _if that made any sense – _concern for Mirajane.

The pieces just fit together perfectly; for the past few years (from her point of view), the lightning mage always seemed to… what was it? _Attach_ himself to Mirajane? It was something like that, and throughout this entire time, she only believed that he was just displaying his playboy front. Now that she thought about it, could that _playboy _attitude of his be a façade? Especially to Mirajane – could it all just be an act? Erza could only wonder.

Letting her red hair blow like curtains in the wind, she crossed her arms for warmth.

"… Then, please," Erza whispered, "… watch over her."

**.**

**.**

Despite how girly she looked, Mirajane was a light-packer – a complete opposite of Erza Scarlet. Which reminded her; they often quarreled about this fact. It was extremely silly, per se, but thinking back, it was silly enough to bring a smile to her face.

Mirajane fixed her ponytail and then straightened the cardigan she was still wearing; it wasn't anything special – she was just touched that her rival showed so much concern for her, and she felt bad if she did not preserve this 'concern' in some sort of physical way. So, keeping this on was the least she could do.

_Knock knock_

Looking up to the clock at first, Mirajane's initial reaction was to grimace. She went to get the door anyhow, and greeted her guest with a scowl.

Her silent glare only served to amuse him. "Good evening to you, too," Laxus began as he welcomed himself into her house.

The level of his rudeness was intolerable of course, yet the girl didn't bother to argue. "If your idea of 'an hour' means five hours," she watched as the man remove his shoes and then help himself into the living room, rudely lying down on her sofa, "then I might as well have left on my own."

Laxus yawned, stretching his arms and legs as he did. "Yet, you're still here, waiting for me."

The scowl on her face deepened. She would tell him that she was being courteous were she not so annoyed. Mirajane ignored him and picked up her bag, "Stop screwing around. Let's go."

"You can't be serious," he put his hands behind his head, using them as pillows, "it's already past nine. By now, the stations are closed."

_Stupid move right there, Mirajane, _she thought and growled.

And Laxus conveniently heard that. "Therefore, I'm going to spend the night here. It's pretty convenient if you ask me. I mean, you can make me breakfast in the morning, and then we can leave together early—"

"I'm walking there." She reached for the doorknob.

It was done out of reflex; Laxus jumped out of the sofa, and, in an instant, he dashed across the room, pushing at the door that Mirajane opened slightly, closed. His form towering over the tiny girl, their bodies touched slightly. Laxus remained still for he had yet to plan out his next move.

She turned around slowly to face him, resting her back against the door. Not that it was a big deal to her, but Mirajane was quite aware of the fact that she was trapped between her fellow guild-mate (who happened to be _fairly _huge as he was almost two heads taller than she was) and her own house entrance, but she wasn't daunted or frightened in any way. In fact, she was breathing quite evenly; her heart was beating in a soundly rhythm, and, "… What do you want?" her voice was smooth.

Yeah, what _did _he want? "…" Their gazes were locked, unbreakable unless agitated, his weight leaning onto the one arm that was resting on the door.

Her expression still blank, Mirajane tried again, cutting through the silence. "Why are you helping me? For the past few days, too. Why?"

_Helping her? _He shifted; a muscle in his jaw flexed. Honestly, he didn't even notice. Was this considered _helping_? The fact that he decided to take her and her _alone _with him to Era, and _specifically _Era… was this concern? The man was still as a rock as he put himself deep into thought.

"…"

Laxus didn't specialize in bonding with people and building relationships, but he just realized something as his mind processed; looking at this girl was like going through a tunnel – it was like… travelling through a kaleidoscope, spiralling and spinning through the mirrors and illusions physically. Under the dim hallway lights, the cerulean colour in her large, crystal-eyes seemed to sparkle if he looked long enough, and then he would find the many flecks of blue in her irises – the shades he found endlessly fascinating. They were so deep, it almost seemed as though her pupils went on forever. Then there were those thick, long lashes that framed her round eyes. Somehow, they brought a sort of… mysteriousness to her gaze.

All of that was mesmerizing – beautiful, even, but the sight was disrupted by the redness behind the hue of blue. Then there were the puffy bags beneath those _very_ eyes… along with trails of dry tears on her cheeks.

It bothered him, the fact that she had been crying again.

At that moment, Laxus wanted to lean down to have a closer look. He even had the urge to brush away those platinum bangs which covered those orbs he admired.

"_I just don't want one of Fairy Tail's strongest mages to stoop so low," _he said to Erza.

… _Lies._

"_I cannot stand weakness." _Laxus felt his stomach twist as he remembered his own words. Cannot stand weakness? In Mirajane? _No…_

_All lies._

"Maybe I am trying to help," he chose to stay still. "… Do you have something against it?"

The man's mellow voice resounded in her ears. Admittedly, mere seconds ago, Mirajane never felt the need to fear him; there was only the need to ignore his cocky attitude. Sure, she would blush when he behaved too flirtatiously, but she was but a girl, going through puberty. More importantly, what came from him just now was not arrogance, nor was it anything obnoxious, so she couldn't do the usual – she couldn't _ignore. _Subsequently, she was confused. "… I'm not going to stop you," she replied softly, "but I want to know why."

A corner of his lip arched upwards slightly, "Why, indeed?"

The scowl returned, "Laxus."

Breathing out in defeat, "I don't know," he said right away and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I just want to." It wasn't a lie, no matter how much he made it seem like so. "You've gotten so cold lately, Mirajane, it bothers me how we can't flirt like we used to,"

The girl lowered her head. "Used to…" she whispered, "… a lot of things aren't what they _used to _be, Laxus."

He could literally _see _the mood sink – not that it was anywhere high in the first place.

Caught up in her thoughts, Mirajane didn't even notice that their proximity right now would give bystanders the illusion that she was leaning her head on his chest, but the truth was that they were barely touching.

Laxus would be enjoying the moment if this person were some other girl, yet for some reason, _because _she was Mirajane, he felt something between them. _A barrier. _It wasn't physical; rather, it was like some sort of wall invisible to the human eye that prevented him from getting any closer to _her_ specifically.

And he didn't know how to break through it.

It made him feel awkward, which was odd because that term rarely interrupted when he was with women. Pleasure, sensuality, and physicality – just those, and nothing else. Nothing _ever _as confusing as _awkwardness_.

Thus, he stepped back, letting her stand freely once more. Laxus wondered, and he _so desperately _wanted to ask, could she feel the same wall between them? And if she did, would she know how to break it? There was another moment of awkward silence, but Laxus soon made the decision to return to the living room – _he needed to think—_

Mirajane grabbed onto his wrist before he could move any further.

Caught off guard, he turned to stare at her, wide-eyed.

Her head was still lowered, but her grip on him was loose, weak, and unstable. "I want to go." She muttered.

He blinked.

"I don't want to stay in this house." She tried again, her voice more tensed this time.

He understood, of course. Laxus' eyes darted to the shoe shelf by the entrance for a moment, spotting shoes that belonged to both Elfman and Lisanna. By staying here, the eldest Strauss would only see shadows of her siblings – god knows how hard that would be. It was no wonder she always slept at the guild now, despite how loud it could get.

"I'll wait with you,"

Still holding onto him, she brought her head up.

Laxus turned his wrist so that he could grip onto hers lightly. "At the station," he went on, "we'll get on the first train that arrives in the morning."

The girl was slightly shocked by the idea, "You mean… wait at the station… overnight?"

Laxus shrugged his shoulders. "Why not?"

Although she didn't find the idea to be stupid, she still couldn't get over how absurd he thinks. "You're crazy."

He smirked. "What, does the cold bother you? Or are you not up for the challenge?"

_It was so obvious, _Mirajane mentally sighed. Laxus Dreyar was trying to bring up the mood, and, she had to admit, if she weren't so _tired of everything _right now, it would actually work. She would actually argue back in her usual, _not-so _clever way, which would then lead to some sort of embarrassing outcome. Exhausted and not in the mood aside, Mirajane did not want the lightning mage's efforts go to a waste (for it wasn't often that he showed a kind side – she felt that it would be a pity if she ignored him).

So, she replied with a slight smile, "Only the rain bothers me," Mirajane reached for the doorknob once more. "… Let's go."

**.**

**.  
**

* * *

**And so, this is my idea of Laxus and Mira's 'date' – to go on a mission together! Yay.  
As always, your reviews will be greatly appreciated :)**


	7. VII

**A/N: **All your reviews are so kind, I want to cry :'). Keep them coming! They're my source of motivation!

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**VII**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

Another thing she did not like so much about autumn was the fact that the skies do not brighten up quick enough. It was already seven, yet all she could see beyond the window was pitch black darkness. Sure, the interior of the train was thoroughly lit, but that did not change the fact that the sight outside was depressing. Sighing to herself, she decided that, perhaps, she should sleep at least _slightly _for the rest of the trip? Mirajane shifted slightly, leaning her elbow on the armrest and resting her chin atop of her hand.

_No… no._

… No, never mind. She shouldn't sleep.

If she slept, then – _her eyes darted to the man, opposite of her – _he would see.

Laxus had his usual, punkish headsets on. By the looks alone, one may think that the man was drifting away, slowing being taken over by slumber, but in fact—

"It's really not that amusing for me," strange as it seemed, Mirajane was speaking with honesty, and not with her usual, cocky attitude, "… to have someone _staring _at me so creepily."

The blond blinked slowly. "Then what do you expect me to look at?" He pointed at the blackness of the window, "Whatever I _can't _see outside? Or should I take the time to admire the trivial design of this train?"

The take-over mage blew upwards at her bangs; she saw no point in continuing this argument. "Do what you will," she folded a leg over the other, "Just stop staring at me like that."

_How very strange of her to not throw him out of the train_, Laxus thought to himself. No – it wasn't strictly _strange_, it was plain out-of-character. That, or he was just not used to such a quiet Demon. Losing interest, he shifted slightly, finding himself a better posture and spoke up again, "We won't be arriving in another few hours,"

She raised a brow at him.

"You should sleep for a bit."

As quickly as she lost interest in the conversation, Mirajane darted her cerulean orbs away. "I'm not tired."

The muscles at his jaws tensed. "Not tired," he began, "or _afraid _of to be tired?"

She couldn't disagree – it was the truth, after all. "Tch," she turned towards the window, where her eyes discovered nothing but plain, boring darkness, "aren't you a genius?"

"I think I'm pretty intelligent," Laxus admitted.

Mirajane rolled her eyes. Again with the same, god damn smugness – this man just never changed.

"Well? Why are you so hesitant?" He cut in, "Go ahead, sleep."

She remained still. "If I sleep,"

"…"

"I'll end up waking up, more tired than I ever was before," she explained with a straight face. "So, might as well stay awake."

A golden brow flinched; Laxus reached into his jeans' pocket, taking his music player out. As he fiddled with the buttons, he started to answer casually, "… You're not very smart, aren't you?"

She flashed her gaze at the man. It appeared to be a simple scowl, but to strangers, it looked like killing intent, displayed _visually._

Laxus stuffed the music player back into his pocket, and despite feeling such a dangerous, heavy aura in the air, he remained calm and casual as he always was. "How are you going to complete our task when you're dead tired?"

_Oh, the mission – _Mirajane understood perfectly that they were here specifically for _that_, but she had other things to—

"You're not going to complete _whatever-it-is_ you're planning to do, either, at this rate." He went on, cutting into her thoughts with a smirk.

_Tch, _he knew. The stupid, arrogant lightning-mage was playing ignorant. _It wasn't that obvious, was it? _Like, she thought she did well in hiding it from Erza, so how could this man…? She mentally slapped herself, to gain back a proper composure. Mirajane hated how he could see through her without even trying. And she was so sure that she was good at hiding her emotions from everyone—

"Well, I don't really care what you're planning," Laxus said lazily, "Only, I do hope that you won't let your personal feelings ruin our job."

This man – _Mirajane clenched her teeth – _he was _challenging _her. It was so obvious that he wanted to anger her. "I think I'm diligent enough." She stated confidently.

"Ah, really, now?" Laxus teased, "Did you even read over the details of the mission?"

Her glare on him sharpened. "We are to infiltrate some entrepreneur's headquarters," the part of her that disliked losing answered in an instant. "With such vague instructions, I don't see how this is an S-class mission at all. Actually, I don't see how this is even a mission." Mirajane paused to scoff; it just came to her how ridiculous this job was. "So we break into… this _unknown person's_ home or whatever, and then what? Kill the guy? Or torture him until he tells us things?"

The man snickered, "Is this how you treat criminals?"

Mirajane ignored him, silently waiting for an answer.

Shrugging his shoulders, Laxus leaned back. "You're right; this so-called S-class mission is probably the most bullshit one I've ever picked up," he stretched his tired arms and legs, purposely brushing his shoe against the girl's just for fun. "Still, we can't _not _do it. And you can't just suddenly ditch me, either."

"I'm not going to _ditch _you," the girl said, rolling her eyes once again. "You _did—_" she hesitated a little, "—did help me, a bit, for the past few days," Mirajane paused awkwardly. "… So it'd be really rude of me to not repay you in some way."

"Oh?" Laxus was, in fact, absolutely entertained by the way she spoke. "If you want to _repay_, there are many other ways, y'know?" He bent forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. At his angle right now, he had to look up to meet the Demon's eyes. "For example, you could make me breakfast,"

Her frown returned – though, it wasn't like it was gone in the first place.

He grinned at the anger that was spilling out. Laxus could almost _feel _the tension emitting from her. "Or, with that nice body of yours, you could…" his emerald eyes darted downwards, moving from her brilliant cerulean orbs to her small lips. Somehow, his _permanent_, smug grin gradually died away, and _just as _gradually, it was replaced with a look of doubt, uncertainty, and confusion.

It was that _barrier_ he recalled earlier. It was that wall that only existed between him and this girl. It was that _stupid_ wall that differentiated her from every other women he knew.

His sharp eyes then moved back up to meet hers in silence.

At that moment, she felt nothing but irritation. She was well aware of the fact that he was a complete (asshole) player, but was this how he flirted with women? By eyeing them in such a perverse and shameless way? Was this how he lured them into sleeping with him? How spiteful could he—

"There's going to be a charity ball,"

"…"

Laxus leaned away again, sitting upright. "The Magic Council, it's going to have a charity ball in the following week," he explained. "The most important people of Magnolia will go to it," he crossed his arms. "And our target will probably be there."

Mirajane could not believe that she was distracted by that… _shameless _moment. How could she even think of _such_…! –Right now, she should be focussing; getting this petty mission out of the way was her top priority. Once this was all over with, she'd be able to help her brother…

"'_Probably_'," she repeated, skeptical of his assumption.

He gave her a simple nod. "By the looks of it, to murder a _high council member _is pretty damn serious. I guess we can assume that this person has something against the council." Laxus folded his arms, "Having said that, if, indeed, this person's target _is_ the Magic Council, I don't see why he wouldn't go to a _Magic Council _party," he paused, "… after all, all the members are bound to appear there."

"It still bothers me how little information we're given."

Laxus looked up.

"Not only do we have no clue who the murderer is, we also don't even know _which _high council member was murdered," she added. "And it's not helping that there is no news on this case at all. If we were to know who it is, then we can at least find leads from the person's enemies and whatnot. So, that alone is the most suspicious fact."

He agreed in silence. Looking out the window, the lightning mage breathed out. "This is probably the most bullshit mission I've ever picked up."

Mirajane huffed. "If it's so _bullshit_, then why did you choose it?"

Laxus turned back to face her, but not without smirking first. "Hn," he eyed her intently, "I don't really care about the mission."

She raised a brow.

Still smirking, the man leaned his chin on a hand, "The ball," he began, "you're coming with me."

Was it possible to feel this annoyed so many times a day? Mirajane held back; if she were to let it out here, the other, innocent passengers on this train would probably die or something. Clenching her teeth, she was practically grinding her voice as she spoke, "and if I say no?"

"Now, why would you do such a thing?" He teased.

"Uh, newsflash: probably because you're an asshole and I can't stand you?"

"Whew," Laxus faked a look of surprise, "how did I not think of that?"

Mirajane frowned; meanwhile, the man opposite of her went on showing-off how conceited he was by prolonging that annoying smirk. No matter how much she disliked the idea of going to a ball with him— "You already know," She spoke quieter when her vision brushed lightly across his annoying smirk, "… that I'd say _yes_ in such circumstances." She finished sternly.

Yes, of course. The most important people were going to be at this ball, and their master – Fairy Tail's third master – was part of the ten saint wizards. In short, he was a VIP – and a very, _very _VIP to top that off. The chances of meeting Elfman directly were dire, but if she were to meet the master, then she would be able to question him on all the things that _needed_ questioning.

"Though…" Mirajane began with a weak voice. She looked down at her hands, clenched together tightly in her lap, "… I doubt going there would make a difference."

"Come on, now," Laxus spoke up, catching her attention. When their eyes met, he looked out the window, which automatically prompted the girl to do the same. When the slightest, _tiniest _hint of sunlight finally peaked out of the horizon, dyeing the far end of the sky in a hue of white and gold, he continued, "You'd never know unless you've tried."

**.**

**.**

So apparently, staying at an ordinary inn was not okay.

"No, that's not good at all,"

Mirajane shook her head in pure embarrassment.

… In fact, staying at a five-star hotel wasn't okay, either. As much as she wanted to hide herself, Mirajane could only watch as the not-only arrogant, but also (she found out just now)picky and demanding Laxus Dreyar consult with the receptionist at the front desk.

"What part of _upgrade _do you not understand?" The volume of his voice had gathered everyone's attention in the hotel's lobby by now. "I have the money, why can't we have the presidential suite?"

Now, Mirajane usually wouldn't care if Laxus – _hell, she wouldn't care if anyone – _caused a scene, but the thing was—

"You are keeping my fiancée waiting," Laxus continued with his complaints.

She face-palmed.

"I demand to see your manager."

This had got to stop. He was making it seem as if _she _was the one who was _over-the-top _demanding! Ignoring the looks from strangers around her, she speed-walked over to the front desk. Shoving Laxus away with her elbow, she began in a much more polite way than the man, "I'm so sorry about the trouble… but you can just ignore him. A normal room would be good enough, actually."

"… Y-yes…" the woman stumbled with the lacrima device in front of her – presumably, she was trying to search for a room. At the same time, she was trying her best to ignore the glare coming from the demanding blonde. The receptionist knew very well who he was, and understood what would happen if she did not meet his expectations. "There's…" she cleared her throat, "… there is a room available on the twenty-first floor. It faces east and has a panoramic view of the ocean – it's really quite amazing. Would that be suitable for the two for the two of you?"

Truth be told, Mirajane didn't really care about the interior, but _that _definitely sounded amazing. She tilted her head slightly in acknowledgement. "Hm, that sounds great. I think it'll do." Out of plain courtesy, Mirajane turned to Laxus, "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "Whatever you like, my love."

Mirajane grunted.

The receptionist smiled. She was glad that the girl intervened before things got out of hand. Bowing politely, she handed Mirajane a card-key. "You will find your room on the corridor to the left, coming out of the elevator. Please enjoy your stay, Mr. and Mrs. Dreyar."

While Laxus chuckled to the words, Mirajane frowned. "I am _not _his fiancée." She grumbled quietly to herself.

**.**

**.**

From the elevator ride up to the walk to their room, Laxus had a grin on his face that Mirajane could only define as 'stupid'. She was, however, doing a good job in ignoring it.

After slipping the card into the scanner, the red light lit green. Laxus reached for the handle and opened the door for the girl, "After you, _Mrs. _Dreyar," he teased.

"Very funny," Mirajane said, "As if anyone would ever marry you."

"Why the hell not?" Laxus laughed as he followed her in the room, "I mean, I _am _extremely handsome, tall, and charming. I'm a guy in any girl's dream."

"Yeah, well, not mine." She countered easily. Taking off her boots, Mirajane walked deeper into the room. Despite not being a presidential-suite (which she _kind of _wanted to stay in, by the way), this room _looked _presidential-suite. While the ceiling was pointlessly high, an extravagant, golden chandelier hung over the living room – which, by the way, contained absolutely nothing but a coffee table and two, very large and fancy-looking sofas. After such a long train ride, Mirajane couldn't deny that she did not want to throw herself onto the furniture.

But what amazed her most was the view. Mirajane dropped her bag onto the ground, and nearly ran towards the ceiling-to-floor window; the receptionist definitely wasn't lying when she said that the view was amazing, for it wasn't often for her to witness such a scene – a wide, blue sea, gleaming under the afternoon sun. A few ships were sailing peacefully on the calm waters, adding a serene effect to the sight.

"See, it worked. Thanks to our little act, we got a nice room." Laxus commented, making his way beside the girl. And when he realized that Mirajane was completely captured by the view, so much that she didn't even flinch when he was _this _close to her, Laxus smiled to himself. "Huh, I guess even the Demon gets amazed by pretty things,"

"Mm," she hummed quietly without her knowing. A hand reached to touch the glass of the window. "I _am_ still just a girl," she whispered.

He watched her silently. For some reason, he felt that there were hidden meanings in her words. But could he decipher it? Did he _want _to decipher it? Looking at her, only questions and confusion piled up; moreover, he realized that such wavering feelings had never really overcome him in the past. Perhaps once or twice when he had his arguments with his grandfather, but in general… _no_, Laxus usually had no hint of burden in his heart. Now, just _looking _at her…

"The…" Laxus cleared his throat. "The rooms are upstairs," he spoke out before his mind could process on. "Want to check them out?"

She had to tear her eyes away from the beautiful view. Nodding, she followed the man up the stairs – _oh. Stairs. _So this was why the ceiling was so high – there was a second floor. Mirajane rolled her eyes to the pointless extravagance of this place.

Upstairs, they were greeted by a random parlour – meaning, more fancy-looking sofas and coffee tables. There were also beautiful paints of season-themed sceneries hanging on the walls, but the two of them weren't really the type who could sit and stare and admire art. But they did like the fact that it faced the panoramic view as well, and that it overlooked the living room below.

Walking past the parlour, the two stumbled upon a door.

Mirajane was already skeptical about this, but once they entered, she couldn't help but blurt out, "If this place… is so freaking luxurious…"

Laxus started to chuckle again.

"… why does it only have one bedroom…?"

"This is probably what they call a honeymoon suite," he said casually. "No big deal. We can just sleep togeth—"

"I'll sleep in the parlour." The girl interrupted right away. And with that, she left the bedroom.

Laxus smirked. Now, that was too bad. Looking at the king-sized bed that appeared to be so soft and comfortable and _resilient_, only one thing came to mind – _what a waste._

Whatever the case, he believed that the most important thing to do was to get himself a nice lunch. He hadn't eaten for the past twelve hours, thanks to the tough Demon who refused to eat, so he _really _needed something in his stomach.

Right when he left the room, his eyes instinctively moved to stare at the figure downstairs.

Laxus blinked.

Mirajane was standing in the exact same spot earlier when she was looking at the sea. A hand was once again stretched, touching the glass of the window – it seemed almost as if she wanted to _reach out _to the waters or something. Leaning onto the railing, Laxus breathed out with amusement. Without his knowing, he was smiling at the sight of the girl below. Then, he thought to himself – was it strange to realize _now_ that the Demon was cute?

**.**

**.**

_Black._

…

_Black…? N-no… no. _

… _black._

_What was— _

"_Why… why is everything black and… cold… and…a-and I…"_

—_this realm of darkness? _

… _black._

…

_She was floating in a sea of black. _

_She was __**stuck**__ in this… realm of darkness. _

_Floating_

_Lost _

… _abandoned?_

"_Help me, Mira-nee."_

_In the darkness, she could hear a voice. "Lisanna…?" _

"_Help me," her beloved little sister begged weakly._

_But she couldn't see anything. "I-I can't… I don't know where—Lisanna, where are you…?"_

"… _help…" _

_I'm trying I'm trying I'm trying I'M REALLY TRYING—"Please, where are you…!"_

"… _I don't want to die…" _

_Mirajane gasped. "Mira-nee is here… I'm not letting you die…" She continued to search in the endless darkness. Frantically, mindlessly, she hoped for some sort of response – any sort of sound that could lead her on._

"_Help me."_

_I want to – I really do—_

"_Help me."_

_But I—_

"_Help me."_

—_can't reach you—_

_(Help me.)_

_Where are you going?_

_(Help me…)_

_don't know  
_

_(… help me…)_

_just run  
_

_(… I don't want to die…)  
_

_Run_

_(… please—)_

_Don't stop_

_(—Mira-nee…)_

_You're not trying hard enough.  
_

…

_Farther and father she ran into this path of darkness. The voice resounded in every corner of this realm, tunnel – whatever. But Mirajane took no heed to stop. No matter how breathless she was, she ran. No matter how cold it got, she ran. _

_(help.)_

_And the more she ran, the darker it got. The more breathless she became, the colder it got.  
_

_(… help)_

_She didn't believe in gods and angels,_

_(… help…)_

_nor did she believe in devils and demons._

…

_But how could she not,_

"_Lisanna—" _

… _when she was one herself?_

_Please help me.  
_

…

_**WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?!**_

**.**

**.**

A sharp gasp – Mirajane felt as though her throat tore itself in half. Immediately, she sprung out of the sofa and coughed desperately for air. At the same time, she shivered from the coldness that wrapped tightly around her body. A prison of ice – she had never experience such a temperature in her life. Her magical power had completely neglected her, rendering the girl helpless. Out of breath, Mirajane held onto her pounding and aching chest, gripping on her shirt so tightly it would seem that she was trying to rip it off. Once she calmed down slightly, she noticed that, through the darkness, there was a figure looking at her. Cautiously, she turned to the figure, preparing herself for the worst.

The way she was looking at him, the fear – it was pouring out of her eyes, and he meant that _literally. _Even without lights, he could see trails of tears streaming from her orbs. It was a horrible sight; the way she trembled, the way she cried, the way she _screamed _when she was sleeping – or, if it was even called _sleeping_. Laxus stood up from the sofa across from hers, and in the gentlest way possible, he began, "This is quite a problem, isn't it?"

Panting and shivering, Mirajane was too out of breath to reply.

Laxus approached her carefully, finally stopping to sit down on the side of her sofa.

The breathing, Mirajane believed, she could manage somehow, eventually. But the way she was shaking so violently – she couldn't control. It was a frightening feeling; the way that her body seemed to be possessed by some foreign, unknown, extra-terrestrial life form. But it wasn't anything new; the fact that she was scared – _terrified _of herself. "T-this is nothing…"

He couldn't believe his ears. Laxus couldn't stop himself from speaking up, "You were _screaming _in your sleep."

Still barely managing to speak clearly, "It's… nothing…" she brought her head down, "… happens all the time."

_All the time? _

"… What?"

"It's just another… n-nightmare."

_Nightmare? _His mind repeated. Then, he remembered, this morning on the train—

"_If I sleep, I'll end up waking up, more tired than I ever was before. So, might as well stay awake."_

—So that was what she was talking about?

Mirajane shivered even more violently. She hugged her knees together to contain herself. "Turn… t-turn on the heater…"

He acted right away. Glancing at the thermometer on the wall, he spotted a warm twenty-five degree-Celsius. If anything, the heater needed to be turned down. Laxus moved to touch her forehead – and, how strange; she didn't have a fever or anything. As a matter of fact, her skin was ice-cold, and to Laxus' knowing, only ice-mages such as that kid, Gray Fullbuster, could possess bodies of this temperature. With that, he decided that it was settled; something was definitely wrong with the Demon. "Hey—"

Mirajane reached up to hold his wrist, interrupting him. Her trembling hand pulled his away from herself, and then she whispered, "I'm fine… just… just go away…"

"…"

"Please…" her hand returned to her chest, "… please, go away."

The painful sight before him was unbearable. That trembling didn't seem to be controllable, and those tears… they just wouldn't stop flowing. "No."

She glared at him.

And he glared back. "I'm not going anywhere until you fall asleep in peace."

She clenched her hands into the thick blanket that was covering the lower half of her body. "Don't bother with me…" the girl muttered, "… someone so weak – just don't waste your time on someone like me."

Holding back a growl, "I do what I want," Laxus sat closer, "and right now, I'm declaring that I am not going to go anywhere until _I watch _you fall asleep in peace."

Emphasis on the word, '_watch'_. Mirajane sighed. She had absolutely no strength to talk, much less argue. In truth, she was exhausted; she could collapse right then and there, but… "You're s-so annoying…" she managed.

"Yeah, yeah." Laxus moved in.

There was no hesitation; once he was close, to the point where she could see the gleam in his eyes under the darkness, she leaned into his chest.

Initially surprised, Laxus quickly adapted to her unusual behavior. He wrapped his arms around the tiny, trembling girl, holding her close.

"Don't get any funny ideas." Mirajane whispered.

As strict and serious as it sounded, he could still catch that hint of tiredness in her voice. "Oh, you know me," Laxus began sarcastically, "if I had any funny ideas, I would be committing to them right now." He pulled her blanket up to her shoulders, and then wrapped his arms around her again. Gently, Laxus stroked the girl's back repeatedly to warm her up.

She could no longer fight those drooping eyes of hers. "D-do anything to me…" and her voice was gradually softening, "… and I'll… kill you…"

Just as gradually, the shaking of her body died down. Laxus glanced down at the girl, and was relieved to see that her eyes were closed. He then came to the conclusion that it didn't take much for Mirajane to fall asleep – rather, _pass out _in peace. All it took was a presence of another. Gently, Laxus leaned back onto the head of the sofa, careful not to wake the Demon who was still peacefully resting in his chest. He watched as her heavy panting soften into light breathing, and continued to stroke her back until the shivering ceased completely.

A long moment passed by; finally, he could feel her breathing smoothly, Laxus' eyes darted down to observe Mirajane once again. Her figure rose and dropped, in sync with his chest, with his own breathing. Out of a strange urge, Laxus reached down to brush the girl's soft bangs away, just so he could look at her peaceful, sleeping face. His other hand, meanwhile, took the liberty to brush through her long strands of silky hair that ran _just _to the small of her back.

"Hn,"

And for the third time of the day, Laxus realized, this girl painted a rare smile across his cheeks.

"You are very much _just a girl_, Mirajane."

**.**

**.**

* * *

**As always, thanks for reading!**

**I'll take this little corner to answer zatanga's question, which I'm sure many of you are wondering as well – "Will I be covering the period when Lisanna comes back, Tenrou Island, the GMG etc.?"  
I really hope to, but it seriously depends on Mira's role in the current arc (I like to make this story as close to the canon as possible, just to make it **_**that **_**much more believable, lol). **

**Btw, if you're looking forward to M-rated scenes in this fic, please **_**do **_**look forward to it.  
After all, this **_**is **_**an M-rated fic. ;)**

**If there are any more questions, please feel free to ask!  
Oh, and don't forget to review :D  
**


	8. VIII

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA

* * *

There were many things Mirajane wanted to do in her young life.

She wanted to try many, many things. She wanted all of her guild-mates' wishes to come true, she wanted Master to remain as his energetic old self for many years to come, she wanted Fairy Tail to become the strongest guild in all of Fiore; she hoped for Natsu to find Igneel, she hoped for Erza to escape from her haunting past; Mirajane wanted Elfman and Lisanna to find happiness, and she wanted them to grow up healthily…

…

_As for herself?_

… Oh, just the usual things. Like, she wanted to become stronger, to possess more demon forms, to surpass Erza, to kidnap Natsu whenever he cries, and… _hm_, yeah. That was probably it.

…

… _well_, she probably – _just maybe – _also wanted to know how it would be like to fall in love.

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream  
**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

_**VIII**_

**.**

**.**

Light as feathers, the tips of her fingers grazed across the skin of Laxus' cheek. Here she was, lying awake on his chest; her head buried safely in the crook of his neck, and the unnecessary feeling of calmness overwhelming her in the strangest ways.

Mirajane smiled to herself.

It really was a wonder – the fact that this man would have such soft skin; she found it cute how her fingers could not feel any roughness of his facial hair. Laxus would be pissed if she told him this, but his skin was as soft as a girl's. Smooth to touch, but still delicate to the least. Her fingers travelled down to his lips, which parted _ever-so-slightly _whenever he breathed out. Mirajane hovered just above his lower lip, letting the warm breaths of air brush past her slender fingers. Despite having such delicate skin, Laxus was still, _well_, very much masculine-looking.

… _Or… man—_

Mirajane tensed. She could not believe that she almost applied the word 'manly' on Laxus.

_Manly Laxus._

_…_ To which she just did.

_Damn it._

Eventually, the golden light of the sunrise grew brighter; it shone through the ceiling-to-floor windows, embracing the two and, conveniently, the warmth of the light hit every shadow of the man's facial features, emphasizing his – _she rolled her eyes – _good looks.

… _Okay, fine, fine. _She had to admit; deep inside, she wasn't denying it when he claimed to be 'extremely handsome' and 'charming'. Though, it was _one-hundred-and-fifty-percent _not true when he said that he was 'the guy in every girl's dream'. She couldn't say the same for other girls, but that definitely was _not _the case for her.

Nope, it definitely was _not_.

In any case, this guy sure was a heavy sleeper. Here she was, literally poking at his cheeks yet he still wasn't budging. In a way, he was kind of like Natsu and Elfman. _No matter how cautious he may seem when awake, he was still like a little kid deep inside._ Mirajane shook herself out of her random thoughts and closed her eyes. Sighing, she snuggled closer to the man, and decided that since it was still early, perhaps she could fall back asleep and—

_Wait, what!?_

She snapped her eyes opened and gasped. _W-what the hell was she thinking? _Fall back asleep!? Shouldn't she get up before things turned awkward—

"This is sexual harassment, y'know?" A deep voice sounded above her. "Like, the way you're stroking my face and everything."

A shiver (of embarrassment, most likely) ran down her spine. As calmly as possible, Mirajane drew her hand away from his face and started, "Aren't you taking advantage of me as well?"

"Hmm?" He hummed playfully. The Demon was clearly referring to his arm that was wrapped around her waist. Laxus cracked a smirk. "Hn, then I guess we're even."

"…"

… _Right. _All the calmness that she felt mere moments prior just vanished together along with her mood. She pushed herself off his chest and decided that it was best to not make eye-contact with him as she stood up.

But Laxus was quick with his movements. Before she could go any further, he grabbed her wrist. "Hey,"

Mirajane stayed still, as she was refusing to look at the man who just ruined her good mood.

His grip on her wrist softened. Gently, he turned the girl around so that they would face each other.

Looking away from him, "What do you want?" She spoke with a scowl. The way his eyes were on her made it pressuring… _but_, in a sense, it wasn't what she perceived to be as 'annoying'. Rather, she simply felt uneasy.

Laxus sat up properly, his eyes never leaving the girl. There were many things he wanted to ask; to begin (and to be frank), he wanted to know how she managed through all those nights alone. He wanted to know whether she was – _knock on wood – _completely sane or not, but most importantly, "How are you feeling?"

Mirajane blinked in response. "Uh…" She was not expecting that from him for one, "… fine," and for another, she was not prepared to answer such a difficult question – especially when he was asking so seriously, "… I guess."

_What a lie. _Laxus' brows narrowed in the slightest. He obviously wasn't buying that, but he had his own ways to get around things. "Good to know," he said. "We're going into town today."

The latter was a statement, not a suggestion – meaning, he wasn't giving her a choice to decide. But she merely shrugged to it. "Fine by me," Mirajane answered monotonously. "We need to do some investigating anyway, don't we?"

"Yes, we have that," his grip on her wrist tightened again, which finally prompted her to look him in the eye.

Confused and unsure as to how she could stop herself from feeling so strange, her initial reaction was to punch him square in the face, but—

"… but I'm more concerned over something else." He cut in.

Even more confused by now, Mirajane stared at him, "… what?"

"You're going to the ball with me," he stated softly.

She frowned. "Uh, yeah. I know_._"

Laxus smirked. Much to his amusement, it didn't seem like the girl realize that he was pulling her closer to himself – or, more like, it seemed as if she was hypnotized by something, because there was absolutely _no way _that she wouldn't be beating him shitless by now. Literally, the Demon was pulled in, standing a _few _inches before him, staring with the usual, annoyed frown. "So, I'm saying… we need to go as a matching couple,"

_Oh. _Mirajane's frown deepened. "Do you mean to say that you want to go shopping for clothes?"

Despite the obvious tone of sarcasm in her voice, his smirk was able to widen into a grin. "You _are_ a clever girl, after all."

Shaking her head, she sighed. "… Laxus, I'm—"

"Whether you're in the mood or not," he quickly intervened, "I'm doing this for the good of the mission. I just want to get this over with, so that I can deal with my other priorities," his voice darkened. "… Isn't that the same for you, Mirajane?"

_Other priorities. _

He read her like a book. _Unreal. _It just wasn't logical how he'd be so sure of her plans… "Listen, I'm thankful that you brought me all the way out here," she spoke calmly, "but from this point on, I want to do what _I_ want to do."

"Okay, on second thought, you probably aren't so bright." He said lowly. "So, what _are _you going to do? Got any plans other than storming into the council and then dragging him out of there?"

Her thin brows narrowed. "Why do both you and Erza think that way? I'm not Natsu."

"Of course you're not," he stated, almost in a re-informing kind of way, "but you're the _Demon Mirajane._"

… _Is this really how un-lady-like she is seen by people? _Mirajane face-palmed and shook her head, annoyed. "I was actually planning to approach the building in a more liberal way, you see…"

"What?"

"Like," she sulked, "I was thinking… maybe I can ask the guards _politely_ to let me in…"

His eyelids fluttered. "Oh," Laxus took a moment to process her words. "… Didn't think that would come out from you of all people."

"Thanks." She said without gratitude, still sulking meanwhile. "Though, I doubt they'd let me."

She was right.

With all the recent, strange occurrences, the security for the council most definitely would have doubled – or even _tripled_. As if they'd allow a random, peasant-mage enter such an important place after the murder of one of the council members. Even if she was the well-known Demon Mirajane, that fact wouldn't chance. Hell, Laxus was certain that even _he_, the grandson of Makarov, wasn't allowed in.

"But we can go try," he suggested out of the blue.

"…" Mirajane was taken aback by his words. _Did he just say 'we'? _"Uh, excuse me?"

"You, with me," Laxus worded slowly, "to the council."

She arched a brow upwards. Raising her wrist that he was still holding onto, she questioned with uncertainty, "… Like this?"

Breathing out with amusement, "Sure, why the hell not?" Laxus played along, pulling her even closer.

Mirajane's glare on him intensified; she made no attempt to scold or freak out or anything on that matter – she knew it wouldn't faze him one bit, anyway. It was strange, though, because the usual spark, the usual _reflex _within her that would have her kick such a pervert in the face did not snap; to put it more simply, she wasn't as annoyed as she thought she would be. _That, _and she just didn't feel like _caring _about anything anymore. "… Stop taking advantage of me." She merely sighed.

Laxus, too, was surprised by her cold response. He was already on guard; prepared for any sort of surprise strikes or blows from her, yet… "Not trying taking advantage," leaning back, he pulled her towards him. "I just want to know my partner a bit more."

Yet still, Mirajane couldn't find the spark within to _feel _angry. She… she couldn't even tell if she was feeling _annoyed. _Everything was just so strange. As she came closer, she rested a knee on the sofa and placed her free hand on Laxus' shoulder. If she did not, then— "Laxus…"

Her quiet voice brushed lightly across his forehead. At this angle, he had to look up to meet her cerulean eyes, which he found to be odd… and _intriguing_, in a newly-discovered sort of way. A silky strand of platinum-coloured hair fell from her shoulders; it dangled in a distracting manner, forcing him to break away from their warm, connected gaze. He released her wrist; all the precautions moments before were abandoned as he reached up to pull that strand of hair behind her ear.

Laxus' hand slipped farther back; he paused at her nape, pressing at her delicate skin, yet no signs of restraint came from the girl. She merely breathed, and only weak, quiet sighs were heard. He didn't understand – _where was her will? _Mirajane Strauss had always stood out from other girls; she had always been special. Untamed, but she had the look of an angel. Those round, crystal blue eyes that were so clear, they were branded with innocence; the snowy-white locks of her bangs that hung in the way of her long, thick lashes only added an entrancing mysteriousness to her orbs. Her nose, her lips – _everything was so perfect – _she was a work of art. It truly was deceiving; and perhaps because of such a dangerous illusion, Laxus found himself to be attracted to her.

_He had never wanted to know so much about a person—_

"Laxus…" Mirajane called again, this time in a whisper.

When her fingers clenched at his shirt, it all came back – _this girl_ – she cried, she pleaded, she _screamed _in her sleep.

"I…"

He felt her tense, but went on to pull her closer. "Tell me, Demon," by now, his lips were hovering over hers, "what do you dream about?" His calloused hands continued to stroke the back of her neck, fingers running circles on tenser areas. Laxus watched her eyelids slowly drop.

She couldn't help it – _it_… it was so relaxing, she was losing herself. "… I-I dream…" Mirajane breathed out unevenly.

His other hand moved to the small of her back.

"… I dream of…"

…

_**WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?!**_

Mirajane's eyes snapped wide open— "No!" —she pushed against the lightning mage and took a few steps back.

He wanted to stand up to stop her, but—

_No…_

—the word resounded in his ears, preventing him from mustering even the _smallest_ amount of strength within.

"No…" She repeated, her voice weak.

Laxus watched her, praying to the gods that she wasn't going to go rampant again.

"…" Whether he was angry or amused at her for behaving so pathetically, she didn't care to know – Mirajane could only look away.

Certainly, this feeling – _worried? – _he wasn't accustomed to it, and anyone can bet that he did not like it one bit, but he chose to kept quiet. After he regained his thoughts, however, he stood up and started once again, "Get dressed. We'll go out as soon as you're ready."

Words refused to form in her vocal chords. Mirajane stood in silence as the lightning mage walked away. In truth, _for some reason_, she really, really, _really _wanted to apologize.

_Why, though? She didn't do anything wrong._

Crossing her arms tightly, she tried to stop her body from shaking.

**.**

**.**

"You don't have to be here," Mirajane said coldly as they walked through the streets of Era. "I can do this myself."

He simply chuckled to her words. "You're really hurting my ego, y'know? Rejecting me, again and again."

She rolled her eyes. Sure, she didn't entirely _enjoy _his company, but even more importantly, she couldn't possibly rely on him much more than she already had. Mirajane wanted to tell him, but obviously, he would respond the same way: _I want to come. Stop rejecting me. Just want to have fun._

"And you really think that having one of the Ten Wizard Saints' grandson here wouldn't help?" Laxus started again.

She sighed. _Yes, _it would help. It would help greatly, as a matter of fact. "… I thought you disliked being _worshipped _and _idolized _as the grandson of Makarov Dreyar." Mirajane said, "Yet, here you are, suggesting that we should abuse your authority – or, should I say, _identity._"

A hesitation, then, "What I do with my identity is none of your concern," he stated strictly, "And what I _want_ to do is none of your concern, either."

"…" Mirajane was a rather rude and outspoken person at (most) times, but she would know it when she crossed the line. And, yes, she had definitely touched a sensitive subject of his just now; so, once again, she thought of apologizing.

_But how should she start?_

_Sorry._

_Excuse me._

_I apologize._

… Somehow, the cloudy sky and the lack of sunlight disrupted her mind; and then there were these people, who all did not have a single care in the world as they walked by, window-shopping, talking, _whatever_. The upside was, however, it wasn't raining.

"We're here."

Mirajane stopped walking and looked up. Before her were two Rune Knights, guarding the doorway that lead to the path of the Magic Council Headquarters atop the mountain.

_God damn it. _

She had got to stop letting her thoughts wander like that. One second, she was thinking about apologizing, and the next, she was standing in front of her mission…? How could she possibly lose focus so easily? It was downright pathetic.

"State your business." One of the knights demanded.

Shaking out of her thoughts, she declared calmly, "We wish to see the council members."

"For what purpose?" The other one followed up.

Mirajane felt herself pause slightly. "We are mages of Fairy Tail. We have received the mission to investigate on the recent murder of a high council member, and have come to gather information."

Laxus' eyes darted from the guards to the girl.

Standing still, the two Rune Knights turned to eye each other, seemingly asking their silent questions through eye-contact, but then quickly faced the girl once more. "That is absurd. No such 'murder' has happened. I am afraid that you have somehow been misinformed."

"Have we?" Mirajane said with a calm tone, turning her head slightly to the man behind her.

The lightning mage took the queue to speak. "So you're saying that nobody died?"

"Under the Rune Knights' careful watch, it is unlikely that any of the council members can come in contact with anyone of suspicion or insignificance."

"You say that it's _unlikely_, but is it _impossible_?" Laxus took out the request sheet from his pocket. "Tell me then, what's this?" His voice was just as calm as the girl's, though it gave off a more threatening-vibe.

Yet the two remained as still as a statue; they didn't even bother to _glance _at the said piece of paper. "It is sound. If you do not have a legitimate reason to see the council members, then you are not permitted to pass."

Mirajane's brows narrowed and she tilted her head slightly out of confusion. Turning around to face the lightning mage, she was greeted by his silent gesture of following him. So she did so, trailing after him as he walked away from the knights. When they were far enough, though, it was Laxus who spoke up.

"What dicks." He muttered.

"Even more so than you ever were," Mirajane added casually.

He broke into a soft chuckle. "First time we're ever agreeing on something, then," Laxus paused. "Still, this is quite a problem, isn't it?"

She clicked her tongue.

"Though… I thought for sure that you were going to ask to see your brother."

Crossing her arms, she glanced back at the two knights. "If they won't let us in for a mission, they won't let us in for something personal," Mirajane heaved a heavy sigh. "Point is, if I told them that I want to go in because I want to see my little brother who's probably being charged for murder, it would sound very much _personal_."

Laxus nodded lightly, showing his agreement.

"Besides, I don't think telling them Elfman's situation _in detail_ would benefit us in any way – considering that they won't even let us in even though we have the mission's request sheet."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Well then, I guess I was right." Laxus said smugly, "All along, your purpose for coming here was to see your little brother, not to help me with the mission."

"I have my priorities," Mirajane replied confidently, restating his words earlier in the morning. "And right now, seeing how the only way to enter that building is to attend that stupid_ ball_ of yours, I'll just have to follow your plan."

"Oh?" His eyes followed her as she walked along.

Mirajane stopped, "… but… do we _have _to match?"

A wry smile spread across his cheeks; Laxus followed closely behind her. "I'd like it if we matched," he admitted, "because the last thing I want is to take a Gothic Lolita _cosplayer_ with me."

"Gothic Lolita," Mirajane repeated coldly. "You're already assuming that I'll be dressing that way at the ball?"

"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "I mean, what else are you going to do? Take-over some elegant-looking model from a fashion magazine?"

Slowly, she turned to face him. Mirajane held onto her hips, sulking. "My magic is, like you said, _take-over_. It's not re-quip,"

"…"

"To remain in a form I've taken-over, I'll need to use magic, and to be frank, I _don't _want to constantly use magic for the entire night."

"Why the hell not? You've got plenty to spare," he teased.

Her eyes sharpened.

"Alright, okay, fine," Laxus said in one breath before she became ticked off with him again. "So… that means you're going to buy a gown?" he asked, "… to match me?"

Before she could control it, Mirajane was already glaring at him – _it was probably becoming a habit, since this guy was such a jerk – _and then she started, "Depends if your taste is match-able. You could be dressing like a host for all I know."

Another smirk spread across his smug face. "But I'd be a very handsome host," he rested his arm over her shoulder, "… one that would even lure in customers such as yourself."

Mirajane merely grunted. She brushed him off lightly, "Let's just hurry up and get this over with."

Laxus laughed, "Always in a hurry."

And, right he was, the girl was already a few meters head of him.

**.**

**.**

"In any case," the lightning mage spoke up as he browsed through the dress shirts laid out for him, "… this really _is _the most bullshit job I've ever picked up, isn't it?"

Flipping and turning the piece of paper, Mirajane tried to search from something peculiar. But like all request sheets, this was just an ordinary piece of paper; it had the mission description, the amount of reward in jewels, and a red stamp labeled 'S-Class'. "I'm beginning to suspect that this is some sort of prank."

"Come on, now. You know that can't be possible," Laxus stated, picking out an orange and a deep purple shirt from his choices at the same time. "Hey, which one's better?"

Mirajane reluctantly looked up. Once again, as intentional as it may seem, she was actually glaring at him unconsciously. Her mind then began to wander, focusing onto the former statement.

_He was right_, she sheets must go through a series of appraisals before they can be posted up officially on the board. Therefore, to say that this was a prank would be ridiculous.

"… Purple." She said, suddenly realizing that he was still waiting for an answer.

"I knew you'd pick that." Laxus tossed the unwanted orange shirt back into the pile. "Then I'll try it on."

She blew upwards at her bangs. It didn't make sense how he could be so laid-back all the time. Literally, this man treated everything as a game; the manner in which he handled things – it was as if he was too good or, more like, _omnipotent_ to care. Dealing with such an attitude, Mirajane couldn't even find the will to _sigh _anymore. Sitting back comfortably on the couch, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

While she had to admit that last night was probably one of the most peaceful ones she had had since…

(She felt her heart drop for the _briefest_ moment)

… since Lisanna's death, a large part of her was trying hard to forget about it.

But then – _no, she couldn't sleep – _all of a sudden, she opened her eyes. Mirajane was tired, but she couldn't sleep – she could not _allow _herself to sleep, because it would all just happen again.

Those dreams would just come back to haunt her no matter how many times she tried to run away.

Come to think of it – Mirajane looked to the fitting room Laxus was in – she still had to thank him. Up until now, _he _was always there to… _for a lack of a better word_, support her. She did think about the reasons; for example, maybe he had his own hidden motives, maybe he was doing this purely for his self-enjoyment, or – _hell – _maybe he was trying to hit on her. But whatever his purpose was, Mirajane knew that she should thank him properly.

Drawing back the curtain, Laxus stepped out. He tugged onto the hem of his jacket to straighten his suit, "Well, how do I look?"

Initially, Mirajane wanted to complain; she wanted to scold him. The top few buttons of the purple dress shirt was left unbuttoned, revealing the top half of his chest and that gangster-esque, golden-chain necklace of his. The only bearable parts about his outfit were the black jacket and black dress pants – _not that he could do anything to them, anyway. _

"Y-you…" Mirajane tried not to sound angry, "… you really do look like a host…"

Laxus cracked a playful smile. He turned around to stare at the mirror. "Would this host suit your tastes?"

He was trying to flirt with her, clearly. Shaking her head at his joke, she walked to the display case for ties. This guy pretty much was hopeless if she didn't give at least _some _advice. "My tastes do not have the word 'host' in it." Mirajane carefully picked a black skinny-tie from the neat bunch. "Button up your shirt, all the way to the top," she instructed as she made her way to the lightning mage. "You'd still look like a complete asshole no matter how you dress, but I guess wearing a tie would make you look a bit more…"

Laxus frowned to her long pause.

"… endurable." She finished.

"Ouch," he feigned a look of hurt, buttoning up his shirt at the same time (to which Mirajane found to be extremely odd, since he was actually obeying her without further questioning). "Can't I just wear something else?"

Mirajane raised a brow. "Why…? You afraid of ties?"

"No…" he muttered, taking the thin piece of fabric from her hands and then staring at it with annoyance.

"Oh…" Mirajane started smugly, "You don't know how to put it on."

His frown lines deepened. "Tch," Laxus popped the collar of his dress shirt up and hung the tie over his neck. "It can't be hard."

Watching the great Laxus Dreyar struggle with something so simple – Mirajane found it difficult to hold back her giggles. "If you didn't scare away all the workers earlier, somebody would probably be offering you help by now."

Still attempting to put on the tie (though he was failing miserably at it), Laxus simply grunted to her remark.

Shaking her head (actually in pity this time), Mirajane turned him so that he faced her. "Here, let me."

Laxus blinked. The girl tugged onto one end of the tie and then started to work on some… _gimmicky _tying-technique which he found to be far too complicated to follow; instead, his eyes moved to the Demon's concentrated expression. He didn't realize it earlier, but because of her five… or seven… or even _ten_-inched_ heeled-boots? – whatever –_ their faces were once again mere millimeters apart. He didn't mean to talk, just that… the words _naturally _worked their way through his vocal chords without his consensus, "… You make this look so easy."

The corner of her lips arched upwards slightly. "Elfman used to wear bow-ties, remember? I had to do them every day."

"Huh."

"… Do you want it to be a bow-tie as well?"

"No." He said right away, as if his life depended on it.

Mirajane let out yet another giggle. She had to admit – seeing a bewildered Laxus was quite amusing. She didn't know it was possible to actually _laugh _with him around. Which, then, reminded her, "Hey," she spoke gently.

The sound of her voice shoved aside all the irritation just now. He responded by meeting her blue orbs.

"…" Their proximity utterly intimate, Mirajane found it hard to _not _waver in her speech, "Thank you," popping his collar down, she straightened the tie by pushing the knot up, "... for last night."

Was that gratitude coming from her? Or was that just him being paranoid? It had to be the latter, because Mirajane was a _demon _and _demons _do not _act kind—_

"… and for everything else you've done for me." She went on, her voice somehow ending in a whisper.

Laxus didn't find the usual need to boast or tease. Falling quiet, he let her button up his jacket before answering softly, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mirajane was trying her hardest to sound like her usual, confident self. She had to hold onto his jacket to channel away her hesitance. "In any case, I just want to thank you."

"…" Took a moment to take in the words completely, but soon, his stiff, expressionless demeanor was replaced by a genuine smile.

And, infected by that smile, the shorter girl softened up.

"COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"

The loud, obnoxious, near _ear-piercing_ noise prompted the two to turn their attention to it, but their eyes were then greeted by a series of bright, flashing lights.

"FAIRY TAIL'S LAXUS DREYAR AND MIRAJANE STRAUSS TOGETHER, SHOPPING! TOGETHER. IT'S A DATE! COOL, COOL, COOOOOOL!"

When she could see again, Mirajane saw that her guild-mate was already walking up to… _who was that guy again?_

Blonde, with a badly-styled strip of hair poking upwards, sunglasses resting pointlessly on his head, and a hyperactive personality – this person was Jason, a reporter working for the Sorcerer Magazine. And, _holy crap_, did he like to exaggerate his articles – especially when they related to Fairy Tail.

"It's really you! COOL! It's THE Laxus Dreyar! COOOOOL!" Jason yelled as the lightning mage approached him. "Tell me, _oh-great-Laxus_! Is it Mira's beauty that attracts you, or is it her aggressive—"

Laxus didn't let him finish; he went straight for the reporter's camera, grabbing it, and then tore out the film.

"H-hey!"

Smashing the lenses, he made sure the camera was no longer usable before shoving it back into Jason's hands. "Get out of here."

"That… that is so uncool!" The smaller man exclaimed, distraught, "Y-you broke my camera! I'm—"

Laxus hung an arm over his shoulders to interrupt him. As non-threatening as possible, he guided Jason across the store, all the way to the exit. Once at the door, he pushed him outside, letting him fall hopeless onto the ground.

"Ow! What the…!" It hurt, but it wasn't anything lethal. Holding onto his broken camera, he stood back up, "This is too uncool! I-I'm gonna write about this, I'm gonna—"

Eyes sharpening, Laxus grabbed onto the collar of Jason's shirt and pulled him in, "Perhaps you should show a bit more courtesy for the little Demon, hmm?" He whispered into his ear.

"Wha… what?" The confused reporter stuttered. But then, just as quickly as the lightning mage broke his camera, he remembered– "Oh… oh my… I—" _The news about Lisanna Strauss' death a bit over two weeks ago— _"I'm sorry!"

Laxus released him, and Jason backed away a few steps in an instant. "I can kill you so easily," he said softly. "So make sure you watch yourself from now on, yeah?"

Hearing those words, he could almost see his life flash across his eyes. Yes, no matter how _cool_ that sounded, it came directly from Laxus Dreyar, and it was _directed_ to him. "Y-yes!" Jason sought no more reason to say anything else; he ran off once he could feel his legs again.

"Hn." Laxus stuffed his hands in his pockets. Casually, he made his way back into the store, where he was greeted by frightened customers, workers, and… oddly, a _smiling_ Mirajane.

There was no deny – _she wasn't even going to deny, in fact – _Mirajane was touched. Yes, she was sincerely touched by his actions, no matter how unnecessarily violent he was. Well, mostly because she heard everything he said… but, the point was, Laxus stood up for her. The insensible, arrogant, asshole of the guild _cared _for her.

"What's with that face?" Laxus teased in his playful tone.

Usually, she would frown to that voice, but right now, she couldn't help it but to smile wider. "That was a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"Eh," He shrugged his shoulders, "He had it coming."

Mirajane shook her head, chuckling by now. "It was also kind of cute of you, by the way, to do that." She reached for his tie, straightening it for it had gone crooked from all the commotion.

Initially, he didn't know how to react to her comment, so he cleared his throat. "Whatever." Once Mirajane was done, he walked over to the mirror, where he could finally observe his attire. "… Well, I personally think that I look even more like a host after putting this shit on."

Mirajane walked up beside him, "No…" she said slowly, correcting him, "I think you look more like a mafia boss right now."

He looked to her, puzzled. "Mafia boss? You mean, like… more bad-ass?"

Smile still present, she rolled her eyes to meet his gaze.

Her subtle reaction made Laxus laugh. He asked again, "Then, do your tastes have the words 'mafia boss' in them?"

Looking back at the mirror, Mirajane merely smirked to his question. While he waited for an answer, she took her time, observing.

"Well…?"

Her smirk widened into a small grin, "This is a nice outfit," she simply said, "I think you should get it."

"…"

"I'll wait for you outside," and then she made her way to the exit. "Oh, and don't forget to get the tie as well."

"What…" he spoke up, helplessly trying to come up with something before the Demon left the store"… You didn't even answer me yet!"

But the door had already closed.

Now, wasn't that confusing? Did it make _any _sense that the stoic Demon could suddenly be so… _playful_?

"Tch," Laxus shook his head, chuckling lightly to himself.

**.**

**.  
**

* * *

**First off, Merry Christmas to everyone!**

**I really wanted to post a chapter up around Christmas so that this could be a present to you all, but I didn't know I would actually post _on the day of _Christmas. Anyway, it's already 12:30AM here in Tokyo, and I have to head out to line up for Boxing Day sale to get my present for myself...**

**Meanwhile, maybe you guys can also give me presents!**  
**... How? By reviewing, of course! :3**

**See you soon!  
**


	9. IX

**A/N: **So I heard you guys like fluff…

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**IX**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"What the…?"

He was (self-proclaimed) careful, cautious, and vigilant; it wasn't often that he would doze off so easily. But he did, and it felt as if it was out of his control. Laxus sat up from his bed, trying to remember what happened.

… In the morning, he and the Demon went to the council, but nothing came out of it. Next, they went shopping – he bought a suit, and then they went to grab a bite, though he was the only one who actually ate. After that, the Demon declared that she wanted to look around for a gown. He offered to accompany her, but she blatantly rejected him. So, having nothing else to do, he came back to the hotel, took a shower, and…

He looked into his empty palms, dyed in a gloomy, deep blue hue by the evening sun that was seeping through the windows.

_How odd – _he didn't do anything particularly strenuous today, so why did he feel so exhausted?

Standing up and yawning, he decided to let such a trivial matter slide; his body was probably just getting spoiled by the comfortable atmosphere of this luxurious hotel. More importantly, Laxus thought, _he was hungry_, so the logical thing to do was to get himself something to eat – perhaps some room service?

_Yes, _his mind continued to speak as he made his way out, _room service was all he needed right now…_

His thoughts were easily scattered, though, when he spotted a certain take-over mage, standing downstairs, staring out into the ocean. It was very much like yesterday when they first arrived, except the view was now dark and near _depressing_. The only thing to blame was the season; autumn wasn't particularly a nice time at all.

"You're awake," Mirajane spoke as he made his way down the stairs. She made no motion to turn to face him, as her eyes were too fixed on the sight before her.

Laxus, still half-asleep, _believe it or not, _yawned and scratched the back of his neck. "And you…" he breathed in, "… took a shower."

"Just now, actually. While you were sleeping."

He grunted. _Damn it. _He has got to take care of those heavy-sleeper issues. "Why don't you turn on the lights?" Looking around, Laxus attempted to change the subject, "Are you so generous that you decided to reserve energy for such a grand hotel?"

Turning to him, Mirajane replied gently, "I like it this way. It's nice."

A simple answer – one that Laxus found too simple to follow up. "You like the dark?"

She shook her head. "No, I just think that it's pretty."

_Pretty? _

Laxus cocked a brow upwards. He then, too, looked outside. The end of the horizon was already pitch black, but the sky stretching towards them was still deep blue in colour. Though, it would all change in a matter of minutes; the darkness of the night would eventually consume the sun. _He paused. _Just then, it struck him like a dagger; _M-Mirajane thinks that the darkness was pretty?_ Was this a new teenage-phenomenon or was this what people called being _emo_? "Hey… are you—"

"Relax," Mirajane cut in with a calm voice. She smiled, "I'm not suicidal."

"…"

"Elfman and Lisanna find it strange too." She explained, "… But I find a lot of things pretty."

"… You had me for a second, there."

Mirajane stifled a laugh. "I'm sorry I scare people off so easily,"

He crossed his arms, staring back into the horizon. Somehow, though, his eyes shifted, without his intent – _almost as if they were drawn _– back to the girl standing beside him.

"_Tell me, oh-great-Laxus! Is it Mira's beauty that attracts you—?"_

Jason's words from earlier echoed in his ears.

'_Beauty'? _He thought, still looking at the profile of Mirajane in the corner of his eyes. It almost seemed as though she was glowing, in a haunting manner, thanks to the dimness; but Laxus found it attractive. Her still-damp hair was tied up in her usual, high-ponytail, granting him the sight of her long, slender neck. That, by the way, he also found to be attractive. His eyes continued downwards, only to notice that this was the first time he seeing her in such _non-gothic _clothing. A plain, pink tank top and white short-shorts – _very casual. _

… And appropriate, mind you_. _

But –_ Laxus furrowed his brows_ – was she always this skinny? He was sure that a few months back, when he could still flirt openly with her in the guild, she had more than just… _this_. To start, he was positive that her breasts were bigger. Clearly, the stress must have gotten to her…

"It's like you're not even trying to be subtle anymore,"

He blinked. Looking up, he met Mirajane's piercing cerulean orbs.

Her expression unchanging, she went on, "Done checking me out yet?"

Laxus thought fast – "Not checking you out," he spat, desperately digging in his mind for something clever to say, "Just wondering… with that attitude of yours, I don't think you'll ever get a boyfriend."

"…"

_Oh shit. Oh shit shit shit. _He totally did _not _intended to make that sound so mean—

"I never thought that far ahead."

It was her calm voice that surprised him, not her answer. "Huh?"

Another unusual smile formed on her face. "Relationships don't click with me. Or, more like… they're the last thing that would come to my mind, especially now."

This girl was being uncharacteristically talkative tonight, and the more he listened, the more intrigued he became. "Say it _does _click with you one day," Laxus suggested, "Then what would you do?"

Bemused, Mirajane breathed out. "Honestly, Laxus, I can't tell if you're being serious or not. I mean, who would become attracted to a _demon_?"

_Hi, Laxus Dreyar here, and I can tell you that I'm someone who is completely attracted to you—_

He shook his head violently.

"… Are… you okay?"

Laxus ignored her and spoke up, "You're only a demon when you want to be. I wasn't joking when I told you that you're the prettiest girl in the guild," … _Probably in all of Magnolia as well, _he wanted to add.

"Oh, come on," she rolled her eyes in doubt, "As much as I don't want to admit, everyone knows that Erza is way better."

"Eh," He shrugged his shoulders, "She's not bad, just not as good."

"You think that I'm better?"

He nodded, "By a few hundred miles, actually."

She looked at him with judgemental eyes. "How very kind of you,"

Laxus frowned. "You don't believe me, huh?"

"Actually, I don't," she shook her head, "… not at all."

This _cluelessly-_blunt side of her was pissing him off, somewhat, but he was determined to win this argument. "I thought you said that you think a lot of things are _pretty_. Doesn't that include yourself?"

And Mirajane, too, wasn't backing down, "I don't think I'm ugly, but I don't think I'm _pretty _either."

Confusion consumed him like a wildfire. When was the last time he wanted to hit a girl this badly? _Oh, right – _never. "Did you always have such low self-esteem…?"

"Huh?" She gawked at him, "You and I are viewing this matter really differently… I don't see how this has anything to do with self-esteem…"

"Wow." He said, astounded, "Okay, if you're '_not pretty_' then what the hell is '_ugly' _to you?"

Mirajane's eyelids fluttered. "Ugly?" Scratching her cheek with a finger, "… I can't really pick something out on the spot…"

"…"

"Oh, I know," she cut in, grinning, "… your sleeping face. It's actually quite ugly."

Too stunned to show any emotion at first, Laxus froze, "Wh… why you—" but once he regained himself, his initial reaction was to lunge himself at the smaller girl.

Mirajane leapt back, dodging him easily as she giggled. "Oh, come on. Can't even take a joke?"

Laxus' permanent scowl was, strangely, softening into a smaller frown. He wasn't particularly mad or anything, but, _yeah_, what was that?

"Laxus?"

He looked up, only to see the girl's face mere millimeters away from his.

"Are you… getting flustered over me?"

The darkness better be covering up his blush – _because he was blushing right now – _or he'd kill someone. "Pft," he turned away, "Who would?"

She smirked. "You're blushing,"

Annoyed, Laxus unconsciously let out a growl before grabbing her shoulders, pushing her against the window and then trapping her between it and himself. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

Mirajane winced at the contact of the cold glass against her bare skin, but then tilted her head slightly in confusion.

Seeing how unafraid she was, Laxus felt his frustration rise. He pressed closer, to the point that their bodies touched. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them to either sides of her head.

If she resisted for real _and_ if he retaliated, the hotel – no_ – _the _entire city_ would probably turn into dust in a matter of minutes. So, she chose to stay calm, even though their faces were this close. "What this?"

He felt her minty breath brush over his lips. "Nothing much," He smirked, liking her reaction, "just felt like being in power."

His sarcasm was brimming, yet she kept herself composed. "I'm starting to think that _you _might be suicidal,"

A newfound pride grew deep within him. _Good, he was pissing her off. _Laxus chuckled to her remark. "I can say the same for you. Treating me as if I'm one of your victims back in the guild…"

"Oh," She found his statement to be amusing, "So you're just ticked off that you got bullied by me."

"Quite a bit, in fact," He admitted.

Mirajane shifted and, just as she thought, she couldn't move; when it came to physical strength, she was obviously no match for him. Grunting, "You're more childish than I imagined," she paused to shift again, only to feel his grip tighten, "You kind of remind me of an older version of Natsu,"

"Oh?" The entire guild knew that Mirajane had a soft spot for the fire dragon-slayer. Apparently, according to her, the kid was _cute. _But Laxus, along with many other people, could not see how. Curious, he decided to press on, moving closer in, "You mean, you would let an _older version _of Natsu trap you against the wall like this?"

"I didn't _let_ you, but…" She answered easily, "Sure, I don't see why not."

He released a hand, grabbing her chin and tilting it up, "And you would continue to tease him, even if you are already at his mercy?"

Mirajane found this to be quite fun; after all, she loved dangerous adventures. "I've never seen a _daring_ Natsu before, it could be interesting" Her free hand reached for his shoulder, where she toyed with the strap of his black beater, "… so yes, I would."

Her whispery voice became his drive; Laxus' other hand took on a life of its own. Releasing Mirajane's wrist, it wandered down her slender waist – _down, _until he felt the bump of her hipbone which he stopped and squeezed lightly. With all his will, he fought away the urge to pull her annoying tank-top off. "Then would you let him…" He moved in, lips brushing against her ear, "… _kiss _you?"

_Pause._

The silence in the air was heavy; he believed that all he could hear right now was his heart, beating in a steady rhythm. Having said such a bold thing, he already expected two outcomes. One: a slap to the face, or two: a _"you're an ass"_ statement _and then_ a slap to the face. Either way, he wanted to pay back. He wanted to get her _flustered _because she got _him_ acting all strange and weird and—

Mirajane pushed lightly, just enough so that they could look at each other. "If he really were a few years older than me," She started, breaking his thoughts, "I would."

"…"

Suddenly, with force, she pressed forward, pushing Laxus back—

"What…" —_what the hell_? He couldn't react – Laxus' feet failed to keep his balance and soon, he tumbled backwards, hitting the ground with a loud _thud. _

Eyes sharp, "There are a lot of things I would let an older Natsu do to me," the Demon was glaring with her piercing blue eyes.

The aura grew heavy long before he knew it. Jaw hung loose, Laxus couldn't bring up the words. He stared, stunned, wide-eyed at the girl on top of him. In just a matter of seconds, the Demon turned the tide and was now pinning _him_ down by surprise, though he had yet to accept that fact.

Leaning forward, "… but," her tone darkened, "letting him sleep with me isn't one of those things."

Laxus swallowed the lump down his throat. Before he could say anything, however, Mirajane had already stood up and was walking away. With haste, he got up as well – _he pissed her off real good this time—_ but he had to let her know—"But I'm not Natsu,"

She stopped.

His voice grew soft, "… and that's not what I meant…"

"…"

He didn't want this. He didn't want get her angry – _he just wanted to get closer to her_. Laxus genuinely liked being by her side because… because being around her made him feel different. She wasn't scared of him like the other women; she didn't fear him for his power and status as Makarov Dreyar's grandson. In fact, Mirajane – _at most times – _appeared to detest him; sometimes she even thought of him as disgusting, but that was why he liked being with her.

Because she was different.

He just wanted to get close to her, but this girl was the only person he had met so far who was capable of blocking herself off; _that wall _he couldn't break through – it prevented him from knowing, _understanding_ more of her.

And being unable to know _her_, he feared that she wouldn't be able to know _him. _

"… I'm Laxus."

He wanted her to know him.

"…"

A lost, frightened child was all she could see. Just now, Laxus sounded _desperate_ – in a way that seemed like he was begging, _crying _for help. Reaching up, she intended to take his hands at first, but halted abruptly when it hit her—_that's right—_

_"Are you looking down on me as well, huh?!"_

The words from him when he was drunk, that night – a year ago…

—_she remembered. _This man was always concerned about the way people viewed him…

_"Everyone else in the world – they all think of me as nothing! I'm a grandson – I'm HIS grandson, and nothing else!"_

Yes. To the lightning mage, his individual _identity _was the most important thing in the world. Such a sensitive subject – it was no wonder his usual, strong voice could suddenly falter like that.

Mirajane nodded once, "Mm," she began with a smile on her face, "You're Laxus Dreyar, one of Fairy Tail's strongest mages," the smile widened into a grin, "… who also happens to be an asshole and a pervert as well."

His eyelids flickered inquisitively when Mirajane took his hands into her own, the warmth of her skin enveloping his cold front.

"And, excluding Elfman and Lisanna," she went on, "you're the first person to make feel so at ease,"

Laxus felt his heart skip a beat. _At ease…? _He didn't think it was possible, but just seeing her smile like this… it was warm, _comforting_.

"So, thank you." Mirajane finished.

He was stunned – unable to move or even react. When was the last time he had heard such kind words? _Never mind that – _when was the last time Mirajane acted so kindly? Laxus was utterly amazed that such gentleness could exist in the Demon. He needed to ask her; was this really her? "You…"

Tilting her head, Mirajane waited. "Hmm?"

This… this was the 'kind side' Lisanna spoke of, years ago, was it? "… You're…"

_Ding dong_

Laxus jumped – _yes, he jumped, _even though it was just the doorbell.

Mirajane, however, reacted normally to it. Letting go of his hands, she headed for the stairs. "Go get the door, it's for you."

"Huh?" He watched as she went up.

"I thought that you'd be hungry when you woke up, so I called for some food," She explained, "Be sure to tip them."

_Ding dong_

"Wait—" Laxus ran up the first step, "what about you? Aren't you hungry?"

Ignoring him, Mirajane continued to walk up, "My hair's still wet. I'm going to go dry it."

And he watched helplessly as her figure disappeared up the second floor.

**.**

**.**

This was a challenge.

Laxus crossed his arms, impatiently waiting for the elevator to stop… _why was it so fucking slow?! _

… That was it – Mirajane Strauss was _challenging _him. He felt that this was a challenge to get her to eat, because if she didn't eat _right in front _of his eyes, then it wouldn't be possible for him to accomplish anything else in the world. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he grew. Laxus gripped tightly at the small paper bag he was holding onto, and when the elevator stopped, he literally stormed out into the corridor.

_It doesn't matter what it's going to take_, he thought as he speed-walked to his room, he was going to get her to eat, and she was going to eat _everything. _

Laxus slipped the key-card into the door and burst into the room, kicking his shoes off and then making his way deeper into the darkness. And, _god damn it, _he was positive that he turned on the lights before he left.

He was willing to bet that because the dark was_ pretty, _the Demon probably turned them back off. Sighing, Laxus walked further in. Should he call her down to eat, or should he take this up like a gentleman should?

Laxus shook his head violently.

_Gentleman…? _Who the hell was a _gentleman_? Who would be a gentleman for _her_?!

He grunted lowly and proceeded to the stairs… until he spotted a figure, lying motionless on the sofa. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, he saw that the figure was the one and only, the arrogant and rowdy Mirajane, sound asleep.

To describe in this in the simplest way, he would say that the sight was relaxing.

The smile just crept to his face naturally, "… And you always say that you're not tired…" but it wasn't like he noticed it anyway. Laxus was paying too much attention to the girl's soft expression, as it took him much longer to see that she needed a blanket to cover up how little she was wearing. Walking around the sofa, he stood between it and the small, glass coffee table, where he gently placed down the paper bag. Eating would have to wait; _sleeping _was probably far more important for the Demon. Sleeping in peace – to be precise.

He removed his jacket and placed it gently over her shoulders.

"…"

While he wanted to make fun of _her _sleeping face, logic, judgement, reason, common sense, and even _quantum physics _(for goodness sake) were screaming at him that he couldn't.

_It just wasn't possible, _he thought and smiled wider.

The way she was lying down like this on her side, lips parting the slightest whenever she breathed, it was all _too _impossible. That calm, serene, and…

_He swallowed._

… beautiful face of hers that he couldn't seem to look away from…

Slowly, Laxus reached up. He couldn't fight it away; the desire to touch her, to _know _her, he wanted—

"_No…" _

—was what she said this morning.

"_No_."

Laxus shook himself out of his muddled thoughts. His jacket wasn't enough – _his mind scolded –_ it was probably best to get her a _real _blanket upstairs. But then…

"… I-I…"

… she breathed – or, more like, _gasped_. Just about to stand up, Laxus froze; he looked back to the Demon.

"—'m trying…"

_Another nightmare_? The calmness just mere seconds before was now twisting into that of anxiety and distress. She was clenching her fists, body curling into a ball and—

"… d-don't…"

—speaking in her sleep again. Sitting on the side of the sofa, he reached to grab her shoulders and – _holy shit – _they… they were cold; her skin was cold, ice cold, inhumanly cold, _deathly _cold. It was frightening. He had to wake her, "Hey!"

Despite his efforts, Mirajane was still struggling, both body and mind. Unconsciously fighting out of Laxus' grasp, her limbs writhed lifelessly yet with a force that can only be described as animalistic. It was as if… as if she was fighting for her life; she was on defense, and she was trying her hardest to escape from whatever it was that was haunting her.

Laxus, still struggling on his end to hold her down, called to her, "Hey, wake up! Damn it!"

It couldn't be helped; _she had no control over this_ – Mirajane's head was thrown back as she arched her body. Tears were running down those eyes that were rolled to the back of her head, and her mouth opened wide – it was as if she was trying to scream, but all that came out were desperate gasps and pants.

"Mirajane!" Laxus pulled her up by the shoulders, "Open your eyes!"

"… D-don't… tou—" She gasped desperately, "—ch m-me…"

This was bad. This was _far _worse than last night, because, at least, she wasn't suffocating before. Many thought Laxus to be fearless and he himself thought so as well, but that was not the case right now; in fact, he might as well admit that he was _freaked out_.

Freaked out and helpless – that was more than accurate.

He couldn't possibly use magic on the poor girl – _like_, what was he going to do? Zap her until she woke up? It wasn't like her heart stopped or anything, and in such an unstable state, who would know what his lightning could do to her? Perhaps being inflicted with even the slightest voltage could fry up her internal organs, so he didn't want to take the risk.

He needed to deal with this calmly.

Laxus pulled her in, embracing her cold, fragile, shaking form.

Mirajane reacted by throwing her arms around his torso, clawing violently at his back, through the thin fabric of the beater he was clad in.

He twitched slightly at the stinging pain, but it wasn't anything he couldn't endure. At the same time, the trembling and shaking of her body he was confident that he could handle, but the way she was sobbing and gasping against his ear made him just as terrified as she was. Laxus started to rub Mirajane's back, hoping that like last night, it would calm her down.

To think that she had to go through this every night _– or, at least, whenever she slept_ –since that incident, Laxus couldn't imagine how painful it must have been. "Mirajane," he called softly, "Stop,"

Her cold hands tore through the fabric; her blunt nails clawed at his flesh.

He was bleeding – Laxus could feel the cold air coming in contact with his opened wounds, but he paid little attention to it. Instead, he held her tighter, "It's just a dream,"

The clawing and struggling finally ceased, but the helpless shaking could not be contained.

"Wake up."

"…!" A sharp gasp, and then she gripped onto his shirt once more.

"Calm down," He said, knowing that she was now awake.

Never had she felt such a strain in her chest; it was almost as if the sole reason for her heart to beat so violently was to escape… escape from this pathetic little body of hers. Her arms tightened around the man, and yes, she knew who this was; it was because she knew who this person was, that was why she couldn't let go.

Right now, _he _was her only grip on reality. _He _was the proof that she wasn't still stuck in that dream. And she needed to hold onto this reality. "Wh…"

"I'll just make it clear again," He interrupted, still stroking her back. _She was going to question him about his perverted actions again, no doubt,_ "Don't worry; if I had any funny ideas, I would be committing to them right now. And to be frank, I don't—"

"No…" Mirajane interrupted through her heavy breathing. Shifting slightly, she muffled her voice against his shoulder, "… w-where did you go…?"

His heart stopped. _He could swear – _his heart stopped. Nobody would ever know the meaning behind those words. Whether she was asking it because she actually wanted to know _where_ he had been, or because she _missed _him and _wanted _to see him, nobody would ever know. As much as he believed that it was the former reason, a huge deal of him was like to think that it was the latter, as it definitely _sounded _like so. Besides, who would've guessed that the Demon Mirajane had such a… a _delicate _voice?

It was weakness.

_Such weakness was intolerable in Fairy Tail, in _his_ guild_—

"I was still hungry afterwards," he explained. "Went out to grab more to eat,"

"…"

A part of him was screaming; _why the hell wasn't he scolding her for being so weak…? _But the larger part of him had to voice this out, "… I didn't want the desserts, though," he paused, looking at the small paper bag still lying on the coffee table, "Thought you might like it,"

Slowly, _very _slowly, Mirajane pulled back, releasing her hold on him.

Laxus let out a breath of relief. _Yes, girls could never resist sweets_, his mind spoke cleverly. Laxus extended a hand to grab the bag, "It's kuzumochi," he said, gently pushing it towards the girl.

She blinked, eyes darting from the bag up to the man's eyes.

Laxus blinked back.

Then, she wondered; did this man _know _that he was smiling at her? It wasn't a common thing, but now that she thought about it, he had been quite cheerful lately – especially since they've gone on this mission.

"What?" The man inquired, seeing how she was zoning out. "Have you finally fallen for me?"

… _Yet_, he was still the same, cocky asshole. She couldn't even count with two hands how many times he had asked her that since she joined the guild. Ignoring his question, she went back on topic, "Why kuzumochi?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Faintly remember reading something about them being 'irresistible' to you in one issue of that shit magazine. Like, that time when they interviewed Fairy Tail."

She cocked a brow upwards. _Sorcerer Magazine? So even he pays attention to such petty things? _Mirajane was utterly surprised. That and… to think that he would remember…

"So, here," He pushed the bag closer to her, "Eat."

She blinked again. Slowly, she reached for it, "Thanks—" but then paused abruptly. Her eyes widened with horror when she saw… _what was this…? _Blood… at the ends of her nails, "… w-what…"

Laxus clicked his tongue irritably.

Mirajane brought her other hand up – same thing. There were small amounts of blood on all of her nails. Looking up, "Laxus—" she cut herself off; asking him would lead to nowhere – he'd just brush off the topic as always. Mirajane decided to do this herself; she grabbed the man's shoulders—

"Hey, what are you—"

—and turned him around, giving her full access to his back. And, sure enough – claw marks, torn right through the black tank top he was wearing. The wounds weren't severely deep, but they were definitely _something_. She furrowed her brows, "I… I did this…?"

"It's fine," Laxus stated firmly, "They're just scratches. It's not like I'm going to die…" he paused, seeing how the girl was staring at him… _somewhat _angrily.

And she very much _was _angry. Mirajane was angry at him for being so… _him_.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned with a soft voice, yet it brimmed with frustration.

Laxus sighed. He knew exactly what she meant by that, and this time he knew that screwing around wasn't going to get him out of the topic. "You've asked me this before,"

"And I've never received a proper answer," She argued back in the same manner. "Why, Laxus," Mirajane persisted, "Why help someone like me?"

Somehow, those words sounded like thorns; it stung him, if not the slightest bit. "What do you mean _someone like you_?" He questioned coldly.

"Me," She started, "The infamous Demon Mirajane who is known for being one of the strongest mages of Fairy Tail, struggling with bad dreams like a pathetic little girl." Her voice became more agitated, "Doesn't that bother you?"

He was left unfazed by her explanation. Looking away, he answered, "I do what I want."

Confusion, frustration, anger – _whatever_. Everything _negative_ was piling up in her; so much that she couldn't come up with words to argue back.

But then, Laxus continued, "Seeing you like this,"

Mirajane looked up.

He gritted his teeth. "Yes, it bothers me,"

"…"

"And because it bothers me," Laxus whispered, facing her, "I can't bear to just sit and watch."

She felt as though time stopped had stopped. It came too quickly; she couldn't process fast enough. She was now having difficulty breathing and her heart was pounding just like before, but for a different reason.

His lips arched into a faint smile once again. "Is that proper enough of an answer for you?"

It wasn't like anything else she had experienced. To start, Mirajane didn't know that she could get such an honest answer from him. Honest, but at the same time, coy; coy, but not enough to anger her. In fact, she did not _dislike _it.

"No," Hands still on his shoulders, she gripped onto him lightly, "Not good enough."

A pause, and then his eyes softened. "Is that so?" Laxus smiled, "Then would you kindly suggest what I should do to be good enough in your standards?"

Her expression unchanging, Mirajane snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him close. "It doesn't matter," she whispered, "Because whatever you do, you'd still be an ass."

He stifled a laugh. Wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, he leaned against her forehead. "Then how about you give me a proper answer this time?"

Waiting for him to continue, she played with the soft hairs at the back of his neck.

The sheer sensation of her touch sent chills down his spine, but he pressed on. "Have you, Demon Mirajane, finally fallen for me?"

Closing her eyes, "No," Mirajane smiled, "But I don't mind it as much anymore – when you're around me."

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Thank you to all the reviewers so far! I would reply to all of you kind people, but many are anonymous, so I'll just use this little corner to thank you all SO SO SO much once again. Oh, and I can't forget the followers/favourite-ers/lurkers as well; you guys are cool too :3**

**Anyway, I hope to bring you more and better Laxus/Mira moments next year, so please don't forget to review! :) **

**Next time, the ball, and probably much more fluff (yay). **


	10. X

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**X**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

Laxus huffed. He leaned on the railing and breathed out. Then, he glanced back at the girl, and couldn't help it but to huff once more. Again, he looked away. Laxus forced himself to look away.

Mirajane was visibly worried, "What…?" she questioned, her voice delicate.

He turned back to her. Laxus really did want to explain the reason for his odd behaviour, but he just could not speak through his sand-dry throat. "U-uh," he coughed, eyes rolling to the corner to avoid her gaze, "… y-you look good." Nodding, "You look good."

The girl raised a brow.

Yeah, he probably sounded like a complete idiot just now, repeating himself like that. Laxus shook himself. He mustered all the courage left in him to face her properly. "Don't give me that face," he grunted, trying his best to sound like the cocky man he always was, "I'm saying that you look good."

Mirajane frowned. "I heard," she said lowly. "You don't have to tell me three times."

Laxus swallowed a lump down his throat – and he almost choked, _that god damn dryness of his_…

"But…" Mirajane started nervously as she played with the ends of her hair, "Are you sure this doesn't look too intense?"

Laxus swallowed another lump. _I-intense?! _He wanted to know how to breathe normally again_. _Then, he took the liberty to observe her.

She had set up quite an exceptional hairdo – tying up most of the length into an elegantly-shaped bun to the side of her nape with a purple, butterfly-like accessory attached with small gems, and then hanging the ends of the rest of her snowy-white hair over her shoulder.

_She was intense in one way, and one way only. _

Mirajane was intensely mesmerizing to the human eye.

"… No, you look good." _Fourth time. _Laxus almost wanted to slap himself for being so god damn intelligent.

Mirajane huffed, ignoring his boring statement. "No, seriously," the girl paused, looking down at herself, "Can't I just sneak in without dressing like I'm some sort of royalty?"

Indeed, she looked very much _royal_. Like a princess. A very, _very _beautiful princess. A princess he wouldn't dare to harm, disrespect, or touch. This was all thanks to the ball gown that she chose, which was simply too perfect for words. Fine silk, deep purple, and strapless; the slight, flare full-skirt, completed with subtle frills and black laces that ran down to the floor starting at her slender waistline.

"—can't even walk properly. How do you expect me to sneak around once we're inside?"

Laxus wasn't paying attention. He _couldn't _pay attention as all of it was drawn elsewhere. He coughed to clear his dry throat, and then started, "Well, just let me do the sneaking," he smirked, "With such an _intense _look, you can be the biggest distraction ever."

She scowled to his sarcasm.

Laxus broke into a small chuckle soon after. "In any case…" he held up the black tie in his hand, and then struggled to continue his sentence.

This time, it was Mirajane's turn to laugh. Shaking her head in all but pity, she gestured at him to hand the small piece of fabric over, to which he did so without anything more than a grunt. "You really have to learn how to do this yourself one day," she teased, hanging the tie over his neck. "Come on, bend down."

He obeyed, grunting yet again. Soon, however, feeling the rush of déjà vu through his memories, he softened up. Laxus breathed out with amusement, and hearing that, Mirajane looked up to meet his bright, emerald eyes.

She could see – it was all so clear – there were so many things that he wanted to say, that he needed to say. But for whatever reason, he was holding himself back. It was as if… he couldn't _bear _to say the things he wanted. It was strange, but Mirajane was probably starting to believe that the arrogant asshole of the guild was actually… _well, _a nice guy at heart. In turn, she began, "Hey, I think… I should thank you somehow after all,"

He raised his head.

"I mean… it's a hassle, isn't it?" She spoke quietly, "… Being by my side every night."

Truly, he was stunned; not because she was thanking him – _no_, he'd heard that _loads _of times, but rather, he was stunned by the delicacy of her soft voice. "Come now, you say that as if sleeping with you is a punishment."

"Ah-ah-ah, you did not _sleep with _me, you only _slept by _my side. There's a difference, and a huge one, as a matter of fact."

He raised a bemused brow. "… Okay, well, point is… _sleeping by your side _isn't all that bad. In fact, I think it's rather nice."

Confused, Mirajane looked up. "Nice?"

Laxus shrugged. "Like…" He paused as the girl was popping his collars up so that she could adjust the tie (_or whatever the hell she was doing, he wasn't sure_), "… I don't want to sound like a creep or anything, but it's nice to see you sleeping in peace."

"…"

He wasn't just getting her confused; Laxus himself was starting to get mixed up with his own words. "… I mean, it bothers me when your nightmares get you all worked up and stuff."

She stiffened slightly. _Right, the things she would do… _"Yeah… I'm sorry about your back the other night…"

"Don't be mistaken." He intervened right away, "Something as petty as a few scars isn't going to leave me vengeful. What I mean is simply what I mean – seeing you sleep in peace is nice to me."

Mirajane stared at him blankly, and then her eyelids fluttered in a curious manner, as if she was waiting for him to continue.

But Laxus had nothing else to say. Actually, he realized that he might've had made a fool out of himself for being so uncharacteristically talkative all of a sudden. He looked away, not wanting the girl to see how stupid he might be appearing right now.

Mirajane, however, saw the change in his expression and couldn't help but to chuckle. "You make it seem so complicated." Her laughter softened into a tender smile, "But thank you, Laxus. I understand."

Right away, he turned back to meet her warm gaze.

"But I still need to repay you somehow…" The girl said.

Laxus eased up, finally coming up with a response, "It's easy," albeit a witty one, "… How about a kiss?"

The girl paused.

It was an odd combination, but she was now glaring and smirking at him. A look that transcended the definition of _evil _and _cute _mixed together.

_A look that Laxus found to be charming._

"How about _no_?" Mirajane responded cleverly.

Laxus laughed, as he had already expected such an answer. The following statement, however, wasn't a joke. It wasn't intended, but it wasn't like he couldn't control it either; Laxus just felt that it was necessary to say it. He inhaled, catching the fresh, fruity scent of the girl's perfume, and then breathed out.

"I was being honest, by the way." His gaze softened, "You look stunning tonight."

Just for a second, Mirajane stiffened – not because she was freaked out or any of those adverse reasons, but because she found substance and honesty in his words. Mirajane felt that at this point on, taking him seriously wasn't going to be difficult anymore.

And so, she smiled back. "Thank you," Mirajane pushed the knot up to his collar slowly, commenting, "You're very handsome yourself."

He didn't break the contact, and neither did she. It was as though time had halted, for neither did the two feel the need to step away, to stop smiling so warmly at each other.

**.**

**.**

_T-there were… quite a lot of people…_

She hadn't felt so hesitant since… well, she probably never felt this hesitant in her entire life, but seeing so many sophisticated, high-class, beautiful young women dressing just as extravagant – _oh, no, wait. _Seeing how _she _was dressing just like these beautiful women, the weight in Mirajane's chest intensified by tenfold. In attempt to calm herself down, she took in deep breaths, but was interrupted when she heard Laxus chuckling. Turning to him with an annoyed frown, she was greeted by his wry and stupid grin.

"Can you _not_?" She spat.

Right away, he broke into a soft laughter. "I apologize, your Highness, but I simply find it way too hilarious to see you so shifty and uneasy."

Mirajane rolled her eyes. "Well, I thought I told you – I don't think I'm pretty or anything, so to wear a dress like this—"

"Okay, let's not go there again," he cut her off. Right after, he put an arm behind him and the other in front. Bowing in a gentleman-like fashion, he said to the girl, "Shall we enter the building?"

Mirajane's initial reaction was to grunt, but she looped her arm around his regardless, considering that they had far more important things to worry about. The two made their way up the white marble stairs, completed with a red carpet to greet their wealthy guests. Standing by the entrance were two rune knights who weren't wearing their signature masks; they were also dressing more elegantly than usual. Perhaps they, too, needed to commemorate such an event? Which, then, reminded Mirajane— "Laxus, how did you get an invitation?"

He cocked a brow upwards. "All S-class mages, guild masters, and important business people who contribute to the magic world receive an invitation."

She gawked. "S-class…? Then how come I—" Mirajane paused, realizing what the reason was. "… Oh."

Laxus breathed out. "Yeah, I don't suppose you were in the mood to check your mailbox, huh?"

She stayed quiet and continued to walk beside him.

"Don't worry," he said, changing the gloomy subject, "Even if you don't have an invitation, _anyone _would know that you are the S-class Demon Mirajane."

Knowing very well that he was trying to cheer her up, the corner of her lips arched subtly. "Even if I'm dressed like this?"

"Oh… hmm. Well, I guess that'd be a problem." Laxus contemplated, "After all, no one would expect the violent and rude _goth_ kid turn out to be _my _partner."

Her smile widened. "Don't flatter yourself."

Laxus grinned to her remark.

Once they reached the entrance, the rune knight politely greeted them, and asked for them to show their invitations. Laxus took a small, white envelop out of his pocket and handed it to the knight. The latter glanced at the envelop, then back at the blonde. "Mr. Laxus Dreyar and…"

"Mirajane Strauss," The lightning mage said. "She happened to have lost her invitation, but I trust that she is still allowed to enter, given the fact that she is an S-class mage?"

The knight blinked. He stared at the beautiful girl before him, from head to toe, and then looked away – _his face twisting in confusion_ – then back again… _and again,_ repeating the process. At the same time, he could feel his cheeks burning up.

And seeing that, the lightning mage cracked a small grin.

… If there was a reason this rune knight was giving her double, _triple, quadruple_-takes, Mirajane could only think of one: she did not _look like _Mirajane Strauss. Perhaps it wasn't just the dress and the hair… maybe her makeup was too heavy as well? Clearing her throat, she started uneasily, "Um, if you need proof that I'm from Fairy Tail…"

Laxus stopped her right away – _god forbid her from showing people where her guild mark was, especially when she was dressed like this – _he restated firmly to the knight, "She _is_ Mirajane Strauss."

"Uh… er…" Why, _of course _the rune knight knew that, "Nn – y-yes!" He stuttered, "Pardon me for my rudeness, Miss Strauss, i-it's just that y-you're… I've never seen—" having almost said something completely inappropriate (or flattering, depending on how they'd interpret it. But it was mostly inappropriate due to the current situation), the knight shook himself, "—p-please, go on in," he bowed lowly and gestured at the entrance. "And do enjoy the night."

The confused Mirajane couldn't say another word as she was dragged into the building by her partner. Though, once they were out of the knight's range, she moved closer to Laxus, whispering to him in a rare, nervous tone, "Hey… is my makeup not done well or something?"

Laxus could've slapped his forehead. He sighed, and turning to the girl, he responded, "Are you just doing this so that I have to call you pretty for the sixth time tonight?"

She grunted. "I'm serious, Laxus."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Well, to be honest, I think you're already okay _without_ the makeup, but _with_ the makeup…"

Mirajane swallowed.

He smirked, "… I'd say, you probably stole that poor little rune knight's heart."

Another frown. Mirajane had long gotten used to his annoying, teasing remarks, and that was why she decided that it was pointless to try and ask for any more of his opinions. "Okay, you know what? Just forget it."

Laxus laughed softly to himself. He still couldn't get over the fact that the confident and rowdy girl he had always known would be so timid and insecure when it came to her appearance. It was downright ironic, to the point that seemed unbelievable.

Soon, though, the two had reached their destination. It was pointlessly _insane_ – a humungous, crystal-chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room with a warm, yellowish light. Right below it was the main dance floor, where more fancy red carpets were placed, and people were already dancing to the calming, classical music played by the orchestra in the background. The walls were built with fine, pearl granite, and there was even a second floor where, they assumed, people who did not want to dance gathered. Perhaps the business people? The first floor itself wasn't jammed-pack, per se; it was crowded, but it still had room for people to move around freely if there was an emergency.

"So," Mirajane spoke up, "You dragged me all the way here from Magnolia, not to complete that _bullshit mission_ you picked up, not to help Elfman, but to come to such a _grandiose_ event?"

He chuckled. "Now, now, don't say it as if I don't actually care about our task. I just want to try coming to this kind of event at least once in my lifetime."

"And… your thoughts so far…?"

"Egh," He shrugged, "Bored already."

Mirajane smiled. "Well then, should we get to work?"

Laxus flashed her one of his signature smirks once again, "I stand corrected; you _are_ quite diligent."

Recalling the conversation they had had on the train when coming to this town, she smirked back. "I think you should remember that I _am _one of the youngest S-class mages in the world."

Her smug reminder prompted him to smile. Nodding in respect playfully, he walked away.

Mirajane watched him disappear into the crowds of people, and then turned for the other way herself.

It was nothing clever; the two had simply planned beforehand to observe the guests of the ball. Whether they were young or old, man or woman, they were to take note of anyone that seemed out of place. Though it sounded general, it wasn't easy in one bit. After all, it wasn't easy to judge someone as suspicious just because they _appeared _to be so_._ One could even say that this task was impossible, but given the fact that their mission details were _so damn general_, what else could they do?

As she walked, Mirajane observed carefully. Laxus was tasked with observing the people _off _the dance floor, so she naturally had to watch those who were _on _it. Each couple, their expressions – be it happy, excited, or even ecstatic – she observed. It was to her dismay that she couldn't see anything suspicious whatsoever, and, wanting to get a better look, she decided to move closer to the dance floor—

"O-oh my…"

A boyish, almost feminine voice garnered her attention. Mirajane looked to her side and, sure enough, she was greeted by a _boy. _A rather _short _boy to be exact (even shorter than herself), and despite his size, he was quite handsome.

_And cute_, she mentally noted.

Blonde, dark green eyes… after observing long enough, Mirajane remembered seeing his face on Sorcerer Magazine once – this boy was Eve Tearm of the Blue Pegasus.

The boy walked up the taller girl and without asking for permission, he took her hands into his own. "If I am not mistaken, you must be Mirajane Strauss of Fairy Tail…"

Although he was speaking very politely, the way he came so close put her in a _very _uncomfortable position. If this was anyone else, she would've kicked them square in the face already, but this boy was… _cute_. And Mirajane could _never _do anything harmful to anything cute. "Um… yes, I am…"

He gasped, _dramatically. _"Oh, the joy! Come, my friends must meet you in person!"

"E-eh – w-what…" She couldn't finish as she was dragged by the boy to _god knows where. _When they stopped, she realized that she was at the cocktail bar, and before her were two more handsome men who were standing (posing), each with a glass of wine or _whatever the hell it was _in their hand.

"My dear comrades, I have found a beautiful purple flower, alone, lost within the midst of all these fearsome strangers!" Eve sung.

Mirajane had to process twice in her mind what the boy just said. And… _did he seriously just say what she thought he said?!_

The handsome, darker skinned-man with jet-black hair that framed his face approached – Mirajane recognized him as Ren Akatsuki, who also happened to have appeared on the magazine. Out of nowhere, he pulled out a red rose, "Y-you're beautiful…" he paused and brought the flower to her face, "I-it's not like I'm attracted to you or anything…"

"… huh?" She had no other way to express her confusion.

"Come, now…" The last one – the one who was probably most handsome and _Mirajane hoped _that he would be most normal as well – was Hibiki Lates. The young man was tall and had dark blonde hair with sharp black eyes; he didn't appear just once or twice in the magazines – he was practically on the top of the 'Ideal Boyfriend' column.

And… _yep. He wasn't normal either._ Once he came close, he pulled Mirajane in and tilted her chin up so that their eyes would meet. "Let us not scare such a delicate flower in this dangerous garden…"

Everything was so dramatic and theatrical, Mirajane couldn't take this seriously. Like… did people actually _flirt _like this? Because this was downright ridiculous…!

"Men…"

A deep, deep, _beautiful _voice. It drilled into her very skin and resounded against her eardrums. Mirajane didn't expect there to be hope for meeting someone normal anymore, but she didn't mind meeting someone even more handsome than Hibiki. Her eyes searched for the owner of that beautiful voice, but she couldn't—

"… do not treat this fair maiden with such disrespect."

The voice came from below, Mirajane quickly looked downwards and… _and…_!

The man took her hand and pecked her knuckle lightly. Looking up, he smiled at her with his small mouth.

Mirajane gagged. Before she could pull away, however, the short, orange-haired man pulled her down lower, where she could get an even clearer view of his… rather _large _face and nose and… cheeks and chin a-and…

"…" Out of reflex, she covered her mouth – mostly because felt bile coming up her throat.

"Oh, is this _parfum_ not suitable to your liking?"

There was no mistake. This man was Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki; Mirajane had heard Erza talk about him before, and every time his name was mentioned, she would see fear unfathomable to any other form of emotion in the world enclose the mighty scarlet knight, rendering her helpless. Mirajane usually made fun of her for being afraid of '_such a man'_, but right now, the take-over mage took upon a rather important mental note; when she returned to the guild, she was going to apologize to Erza because… well, _holy shit._

"Then… how about this? _Men…_" Ichiya tiptoed and moved closer to the girl, as if he was going to _kiss her—_

"…!" Mirajane would've screamed – she swore she would've, but her initial reaction was to back away. Shaking in fear and disgust (mostly the latter), she raised her arm – _because this guy wasn't going to lay a finger on her, god damn it…! _– and summoned enough magic to form a _Soul Extinction—_

A hand grabbed her wrist, interrupting her flow of power. Mirajane looked behind her.

"L-Laxus…" She called in relief. And, boy_, _was she _relieved_ to see him.

The tall lightning mage glanced at her arm. Emitting out of it were faint, dark, magical energy waves, and although the power was escaping, he could still feel its cold and life-sucking effects. Looking back at the girl, he questioned curiously, "What are you doing?"

It was completely out-of-character, but Mirajane ran around to hide behind him. "H-help…" she squeaked, pointing to the men of Blue Pegasus.

Shocked, Laxus raised his head.

"Alas! This handsome young man, he must be Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail!" Ichiya posed as he exclaimed in pure admiration. "Please, enlighten me! What type of _parfum _would a great mage such as yourself use to charm the beautiful Mirajane? Men…!"

Unlike Mirajane, Laxus wasn't fazed the slightest by his strangeness… _if you can even call it that_. Expressionless, he kept a calm composure and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Fuck off."

The three more handsome men gasped and backed off almost instantly, while Ichiya continued to pose in silence. Though gradually, he, too, began to back off, but not before saying more of his signature random and pointless things – "Such authority… power… and _command_! I will never forget this _parfum_! Men!"

"…" Laxus raised a brow. Taking Mirajane by her arm, he pulled her away from the freak. Once they were far enough, he couldn't help but to grin. "I've always thought people saw that guy as the most handsome of the Trimens."

Mirajane's eyes widened at him in disbelief. Face growing dangerously pale, she held onto her stomach. "I… I think I'm going to be sick…"

Laxus grinned slyly. He went on teasing the poor girl, "You mean, you don't think he's handsome?"

The blonde was _so _doing this on purpose. The more he talked about that Ichiya freak, the paler she got; t-this was fear unexplainable with words alone. Mirajane would much rather go on a One-Hundred-Year Mission than to face that guy again…

In time, Laxus decided that enough was enough. Even if she was the invincible Demon, she was still just a girl who can get freaked out by "… In any case, that guy's sure got some incredible feats, huh? Not only is our very own Titania afraid of him, but _you_, the Demon as well?"

Looking away, she pouted.

Laxus laughed. "And were you actually planning to kill him?"

Mirajane crossed her arms. "I… I didn't think that far," she said softly. "Just that… at that moment, I felt if I didn't blow him up, _I _would've been the one who died…" She scoffed. "More importantly, I'm pretty sure none of those guys are S-class, guild masters, or important businessmen of any sort, so why is it that they're allowed in here?"

It was strange to see her hung up over something so trivial, so he answered immediately. "I think as long as you donate a large amount of money, you're allowed in – this _is _a charity ball after all. But," Laxus said, reaching a hand out to the shorter girl, "In any case…"

Mirajane blinked and looked at his empty palm.

Laxus let out another chuckle and then bowed lowly, "I was thinking _and_ assuming that since you didn't thoroughly observe the people on the dance floor with credit to those Blue Pegasus guys, maybe we can do it together?"

A few seconds went by, and then she stared at him. It was so obvious; no matter how subtle it may seem, Mirajane could easily see through those cunning words of his. "… You know, if you want to dance with me, all you have to do is ask. There's no need to make up excuses."

His grin widened. "Damn, you got me." Perhaps he was lucky or it could be plain coincidence, but at that moment, the orchestra started to play another piece of music; Laxus, being the productive man he was, took that as an opportunity. "Okay then, I'll try again." He withdrew his hand from her and bowed politely, "May I have this dance, Miss Strauss?"

Mirajane giggled. Even though Laxus was nowhere near as gentleman-like as the Trimens (the handsome ones) appearance-wise, he certainly was behaving more gentleman-like than they ever were. "Ye—"

"COOOOOOOOOOOL!"

Laxus growled.

Mirajane grunted.

And then, a series of flashing white lights. "It's COOOOOOOOL how fate is letting us meet again, mages of the COOLEST guild, Fairy Tail!" Jason in a dark tuxedo cried ecstatically. It appeared that he got a new camera – one that flashed much more prominently to the two mages' annoyance.

Laxus acted immediately. He approached Jason, aiming to grab his collar. "And would you call it fate that you're going to die tonight?"

"Please, please, don't be so uncool!" The reporter backed away _just enough _so that Laxus couldn't get him. "I assure you, I am not here to bother any of the guests tonight! I am simply tasked with the COOLEST job of taking pictures!"

"And I suppose that you forgot what I told you the other day, hmm?" Laxus interrogated, crossing his arms.

Jason swallowed. "I-I mean no hindrance, I swear! I j-just wanted to ask Mira something! But seeing you two like this… all _glammed_ up and matching and beautiful, I just couldn't help it but to take out my camera…"

Laxus wasn't buying his words. Again, he grab the smaller man by the shirt, this time successfully pulling him close enough for a punch—

"Wait," The girl stepped in before his fist was even raised. "Don't." She said, eyeing their surroundings cautiously.

That prompted him to shadow Mirajane's actions. Sure enough, Laxus caught several people eyeing them strangely – _not that he gave a shit, of course – _but because they were here for a _particular _reason, it was important that they didn't draw too much attention to themselves.

The grip on his shirt loosened, and Jason took a few steps back before straightening his suit.

"Go on then," Mirajane said, "What do you want?"

Overjoyed, Jason ran up to the girl – though he still remembered to control himself as the presence known as Laxus Dreyar was surely going to kill him if he did anything stupid. "I actually wanted to ask you this since the last time I came to visit Fairy Tail, but I never got the chance to return. So, I'll make it loud and COOOOOL right now: are you interested in taking on a COOOOL job for the Sorcerer Magazine?"

"Job?"

Behind Jason, Laxus tilted his head in wonder as well.

"Yes, yes! A job!" The blonde reporter exclaimed happily, "A job to work for Sorcerer Magazine! Isn't that COOOL?!"

Mirajane remained stoic despite his excitement. "I'm not interested in writing for any of the columns…"

"No! No! The job isn't to write for us, Mira! It's something much COOLER!"

"… Okay? Well, what exactly is it?"

Jason pulled out an issue of the magazine – it appeared to be the most recent one – and quickly flipped to a page with a beautiful young woman posing in a _fairly _risqué-looking swimsuit. Her pose, by the way, was also overly-risqué.

Mirajane raised a brow at the spread. She never paid much attention to the gravure model section of the magazine, and, sure, this girl was pretty hot and all, but what did he want her to do, draw on her? Give her a moustache or something?

"This, Mira, is Jenny Realight!" Jason began, interrupting her thoughts. "In a matter of a single issue, she transformed from a rookie of the Blue Pegasus to its COOOOL Cover Girl! All thanks to the Sorcerer Magazine!"

"Yeah… and?" Mirajane went on cluelessly.

"I'm saying…!" The overactive reporter stepped closer, "This can be _you, _Mira! You can be the COOOOOOL Cover Girl of your guild! Of Fairy Tail!"

"Um, I…" She stuttered, "… I think Erza would probably be more suitable than me…"

"Yes, indeed! You are absolutely right, Erza is good! But you see, Mira," Jason shoved the magazine closer to her face, "What we need at Sorcerer isn't just fierceness and beauty! We also need charm, cuteness, and most importantly, COOOOOOOOOLNESS!"

Mirajane shut her eyes; Jason was literally screaming into her face.

"So please, do consider!" He took a business card out of his blazer's inner-pocket and handed it to the take-over mage. "You can contact me through a lacrima device anytime! And I'll be ready to answer you _anywhere_!"

Seeing the anticipation in the young reporter's eyes, Mirajane knew that if she rejected him right now, he would only stick around for _who knows how long_. Even if it was a lie, she was going to have to say it for convenience's sake. Mirajane started with a sigh, "Alright, I'll think about it."

"COOOOOL! COOOOOL! COOOOOOOOOOOOOL!" He immediately jumped with joy. "I'll be waiting, Mira! The COOOLEST day will be the day you give me your COOL answer!"

Mirajane was finally able to let out a breath of relief when Jason disappeared into the crowd. "Man, was that troublesome."

Laxus, on the other hand, wasn't as bothered as she was. In fact, he found it to be quite interesting. He walked over to the girl and took the card out of her hand. "Hm, so you're actually considering this?"

"Like hell I am," She snapped with irritation.

He smirked and handed the card back to her.

"No, keep it." Mirajane said, pushing his hand away, "I already said I'm not going to do it."

He shrugged, "Whatever you want." Laxus stuffed the small card into his pocket. And then he spoke up again, "But hey, so far, I think all these random-ass incidents have led to one conclusion,"

She stared at him in question. "What?"

Grinning, Laxus looked into the crowds. "Let's see – first, that rune knight at the entrance got all nervous and red when I told him that you are Mirajane Strauss. And I'm serious; I think you _actually_ stole his heart."

The girl sulked.

He went on, "Second, the Trimens of the Blue Pegasus swarmed all over you. To my knowledge, those guys are picky womanizers; they'd only go for the best."

"Laxus…"

"Ah-ah, let me finish," He cut in. "Finally, we have Jason. And according to him, he's been trying for a long time to get _you_ to model for the most popular magazine in all of Fiore. How freaking incredible is that?"

"…"

"So, the conclusion is," Laxus said, "You're more attractive than you think you are. You need to have more confidence in yourself, Mirajane."

She looked down at the ground to avoid eye-contact. "Admittedly, I _am _pretty confident in many things. Just… just not in things like this…"

Seeing her like this, the thought came to him once again – _yes, Mirajane was just a girl. _It was easy to forget about that, given the fact that she was always so independent. But there were always moments where Laxus could pick on the most subtle hints; moments like this and moments when she slept in peace beside him. It was also these moments that made him realize how much he liked to be with her.

"Anyway," Laxus broke the pointless awkwardness in the air, "That's enough of that. Where were we before we got interrupted by that Jason guy?"

Mirajane folded her arms. "You asked if you could have this dance." She answered softly.

"Oh, right." He said, faking obliviousness in his tone, "And? What is your answer, Miss Strauss?"

She broke into a small smile; Mirajane could easily hear the sarcasm in his voice, and so she glared at him in a playfully-half-hearted manner, answering, "Yes, Mr. Dreyar, you may have this dance."

Laxus beamed at her as he offered his arm, and Mirajane's smile widened as she took it with her own.

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Would you say that this chapter had a lot of fluff?  
WELL, I WOULDN'T. Originally, this chapter was going to conclude the ball all together, but ideas just kept pouring in, so I had no choice but to split the events into two chapters. **

**Next up, **_**actual **_**fluff and **_**more **_**of it. Once again, I need to ask you guys to be patient with the M-rated stuff. It's coming sooner than you think! So don't worry! :D**

**Please continue to review as usual! :) **


	11. XI

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**XI**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"_Okaa-san…" The boy took hold of the woman's soft hand, "… why doesn't otou-san visit us anymore?"_

_She didn't speak – only bent down to pat his head, smiling._

_He had many, many questions. But every time he saw that smile, he would forget about everything else in the world and smile alongside her. _

_Following the smile, the woman would always say, "It's going to be okay."_

…

"… _Okaa-san, otou-san will visit you soon, right…?" _

_Again, she didn't speak. Only, her pale and bony hand reached for his head, patting him gently. Once more, she gave him her sweetest, most genuine smile._

_The boy watched her. _

_He watched her age at an alarming rate, he watched her grow pale, and he watched how life escaped her bit by bit every day. _

_The more he watched, the heavier that unexplainable weight in his chest grew. It wore him down, made his heart sore, and… a-and it seemed to push up… – up to his eyes. And then his vision would blur up. _

"_It's going to be okay,"_

… _Yes, those were tears. Those were tears in his eyes. The boy wanted to cry._

"_Laxus," the woman called softly as she stroked his head, combing through his golden hair, "… everything's going to be okay."_

**.**

**.**

"Laxus?"

The voice brought him back. He looked down, meeting Mirajane's curious gaze.

They were dancing to the rhythm of the slow, classical tune played by the orchestra in the background, but in truth, they were actually observing their surroundings – alert for anything suspicious. Well, they _were – _that was, until she realized that he was out of this world – and by that, she meant it figuratively.

"Is something bothering you?" Mirajane inquired gently.

His green eyes darted to the corner.

The girl raised a brow. On the surface, he appeared to be keeping a straight and calm composure, but just for the slightest bit, Mirajane could feel his hold on her hand and waist tense. So, she pressed on, "Laxus?"

The man tensed again, and this time, so did his facial expression. "… It's nothing." He replied quickly.

_No, _she thought, _it definitely was something_. "I'm not going to eat if you don't tell me." Mirajane joked with the intention of bringing his mood up.

Right away, the corner of his lips arched upwards. He sighed, "Really, do you think I'd care?"

Mirajane shrugged and smiled back, "It was worth a try."

He chuckled.

Naturally, the two Fairy Tail mages continued to move along with the rhythm, dancing slowly to the beat with their eyes (unknowingly) locked together. While Mirajane silently tried to decipher the mysteries behind his green eyes, Laxus searched deep within her blue ones for a sparkle – _for some sort of warmth, _because he desperately wanted—

"Laxus,"

He dragged himself away from his odd thoughts.

Mirajane tried again. "Right now, as you are," she started, "would you say that you're happy?"

Laxus didn't answer immediately. Reprocessing her question, surprise and wonder flooded his thoughts. His eyes softened and he responded lightly, "Why are you asking me such a stupid question?"

She kept on smiling. "I just want to know you a bit more."

A natural and warm answer. There was absolutely nothing suspicious about it… yet, why was it so hard to come up with a response? It was hard, but at the same time, he _wanted _to answer her.

He wanted to tell her… so that she would _know _him. "I…"

"…"

He took a deep breath and loosened up. "… I have the power, the money, the looks," Laxus paused, staring briefly at the emotionless Mirajane and then looking away again, "I have everything and can get anything I want. So do you expect me to say no?"

She shook her head. "I don't _expect_," Mirajane hesitated, "…I just… had a feeling that you'd say no."

It was nice. It really _was _nice, in all seriousness, because nobody – _and he meant nobody – _had ever bothered to… well, _understand _him like this. In a way, she was consoling him. And Laxus was using the term _console _because nobody ever tried to make him talk about his personal issues.

Nobody ever _dared _to.

"… It's really nothing," Laxus said. "Just that… I suddenly remembered something." He finally gave in, and realized that his voice was growing softer and softer as he spoke – _a sign of vulnerability – _but he went on, "… Something that happened when I was a kid."

Mirajane gave no sudden reaction; rather, she prolonged her smile, moving with the music along Laxus. "Is it something happy?"

"…" He breathed out. "Don't really know," he shrugged. It didn't last longer than a second, but the face of his mother flashed across his mind. He would've – _could've – _smiled, but the vision disappeared as quickly as it appeared. In turn, a sulk replaced the softness of his expression. "It's just… strange and weird how I'd remember _that _of all things. And it came to me so… suddenly, too."

To be honest, she was somewhat lost, but at the very least, Mirajane could tell that the said memory was something important. In any case, she sought no purpose in asking for details. It was partly because she didn't care, but mostly, it was because Laxus seemed bothered by it.

Mirajane, admittedly, had a talent for bullying people. Ironically though, she had an even bigger talent for _comforting_ people. Perhaps it was because she could see through people's thoughts so easily? Like, she knew what people needed or wanted to become happy again. Take Erza for an example; if she was pissed off, just give her a piece of cheesecake and then she'd be sugars and rainbows again. For Laxus… well, cheesecakes obviously weren't going to work, but she did know that her smile would.

And so, she smiled.

"You should treasure it," Mirajane mused aloud, catching his attention. "… Even if it's just a memory – be it good or bad."

"…"

She chuckled lightly to his confused look. "Never mind," It was piling with question marks. "Forget that I said anything. You'd probably think I'm crazy if I said anymore."

The smirk returned to him. "No, I'm intrigued," Laxus commented. "Go on."

Mirajane blinked. Yes, the scowling lightning mage did indeed look intrigued. She had no reason to refuse if he wanted to listen, so she started, "The… good and the bad – take it all with you."

Her voice blended in with the soft violins and cellos in the background. Hearing her speak with music, Laxus felt a sort of calmness, unexplainable by words, overwhelm him. All of a sudden, he felt lighter, less restraint – free.

"That's what makes us human, right?"

He listened.

"Take too much of the good," she said, "then you'd be hiding, living in an illusion… shoving reality to the side."

Then, Laxus could see her delicate smile wither away.

"Take too much of the bad and you'll become messed up, unstable… insecure." Mirajane finished.

He fell silent. It was easy to see why she was hesitating. The girl herself, up till now, was still fighting against ghosts of her past. Every night, perhaps even with his presence, she struggled. There were simply some things in life that cannot be forgotten. Yet, still, Laxus was able to witness – Mirajane embraced them no matter the difficulty. She truly was a remarkable girl.

"… That's why you need to have a balance of the good and the bad."

Once more, his expression softened.

Seeing how he was actually paying attention, Mirajane grew relieved. Laxus Dreyar wasn't all just arrogant, mean, and selfish; he was also misunderstood.

"Even if it's something unbearable, things happen in life, and you just have to take it all in. It makes everything more real, you know?"

Her cerulean eyes sparkled with warmth – Laxus realized now just how much he enjoyed looking at those bright crystals.

"… and if it's too much to bear," Mirajane went on, in an even softer voice now. Her grip on his shoulder and hand grew firmer, "… I'll help you – as much as you've helped me for the past few weeks."

He was utterly astounded. To think that only a mere two weeks ago, Mirajane was going through an unstable phase of anxiety… with her displaying her level of maturity and optimism right now – she really was something else. Laxus cracked a smile at the young Demon. "… You're crazy."

Mirajane breathed out with amusement. "I know," she said, gazing at the man softly.

"Have you always been like this?"

She shook her head, chuckling. "I've only learned to think this way recently."

A bemused brow risen, Laxus pressed on, "Hmm? I've been with you a lot recently. Tell me you didn't start to think that way because of yours truly."

Mirajane said nothing in response. Her smile, however, became more profound. Gently, her grip on him tensed again, as if she were acknowledging his comment through touch.

Laxus, right away, comprehended. He swallowed – _crazy girl… really has an odd way of expression herself – _"S-so," he attempted to start a conversation anew, "… have you noticed anything?"

The girl heard shyness in his voice, but she decided that now wasn't the appropriate time to tease him. They _were_ in a middle of a job, after all. "Nothing downstairs," she looked to the balcony of the second floor, "… but upstairs…"

"Looks like it's filled with scrawny and snobby-looking businessmen to me."

She nodded. "The 'important' people are probably all upstairs."

Lucky for them, nobody was getting suspicious over the fact that they had been dancing continuously for three songs in a row now. _Well… _probably some did, but this was a freaking_ ball_, so what was wrong with wanting to dance? It was necessary, regardless of what others thought, as they had to observe each and every guest in this hall. The only thing they could blame was that god-forsaken S-class bullshit-of-a-mission.

"See anyone worth our while to beat up?" Laxus asked casually.

Mirajane scanned the people on the second floor thoroughly, but found no spectacular result. It was simply too crowded; from below, it looked like all the face were blended together – not only that, but those stupid businessmen all wore _black_, so it was even more difficult to spot someone who was distinct (if there was anyone like that) apart. She turned to the man, only to find his eyes closed. _Was… was he slacking?! _She scoffed, "Do _you_ see anyone?"

"I don't _see_, Mirajane," he spoke quietly, eyes still shut.

Her irritation was instantly dropped when she saw his ears twitch. _Oh, right. His sensitive ears…_ Still, seeing them move like that, Mirajane found it to be cute. Just _almost_.

Laxus suddenly opened his eyes.

And Mirajane acted right away – "What, did you find someone?"

Yes, indeed. He _did _find someone. Laxus stopped dancing all of a sudden and pulled the girl off the floor.

Mirajane, in turn, blinked at him in wonder. She kept quiet though, as she wanted to know what the man had to say.

He definitely had the queue to talk – the problem was, however, he didn't know where to begin. Improvising would probably be a good start. "You… do you remember our priorities?"

Hearing that, Mirajane's curious expression twisted into that of confusion.

"Jiji, he's upst—"

"No, Laxus." She cut in, "We… we're here for the mission. Let's get that over with first, and then—"

"Listen," he interrupted her this time, "I'm telling you this because I feel that it's more important. You've wanted to speak to him for weeks now, haven't you? Well, here's your chance. He's upstairs."

She knew that right now, Laxus would be having trouble trying to tell what was going on in her head, but that was mostly due to the fact that even Mirajane herself didn't understand this feeling. She clenched her fists, hesitation brimming.

"You wanted to ask jiji about Elfman, didn't you?" He spoke up. "Go ahead, no one's stopping you."

"But o-our mission—"

"This isn't like you at all," Laxus interrupted. He turned to her, "Why are you stopping yourself from doing what you want to do?"

"…" She gasped soundlessly. Mirajane looked up at the lightning mage whose stare was pressuring her like never before. In time, she realized that her body was shaking.

_Yes, really, it wasn't like her at all to be like this. Why was this happening…?_

"I-I don't—" she stopped when his warm hand rested on her shoulder. Mirajane blinked at the man.

Laxus had a natural smirk on him. "The good and the bad, you need both, right?" His smirk widened when he saw her loosen up. "Let's say, _if_ the outcome is going to be bad… and I'm not saying that it will be," he paused to reassure her, "… Just know that at some point, the _good_ will cover up all that negative crap for you."

She raised a brow. "What's the _good_…?"

The lightning mage grinned. "Me," he said smugly. "Like you said, I'll help you – as I always had for the past few weeks."

"…"

Laxus wasn't trying to be poetic or anything, but if he had to compare, watching Mirajane's smile disappear was like watching flowers wither. Likewise, watching her smile grow was like watching flowers bloom. A delicate, _delicate_ thing that was – her smile. Easily breakable, but beautiful nonetheless. This was, by the way, one of the _other _reasons he liked to look at her. "So, what do you say?" He grinned when the girl before him finally broke into a soft giggle.

"And how would you help me, Laxus?" She laughed.

"Oh, I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe I'll kiss you or something."

Mirajane rolled her eyes. "Why, of course."

_Of course that was just a joke_.

How very like him. She continued, "And if the outcome is good? Would I have to get some sort of _bad_ from you?"

He chuckled, as something clever came to mind almost instantly. "Since you hate me so much, if the outcome is indeed _good_, then how about you kiss _me_?"

Again, she rolled her eyes but was smiling. "Whatever the result is going to be, it seems to me that I'm just going to get something _bad_ in the end."

As Laxus chuckled, Mirajane sighed – not really a sigh of agony, it was more so a sigh of… _relief._ It was _relief _because, undoubtedly, the heavy weight in her chest just moments before had somehow disappeared, and Mirajane needed no in-depth analysis to understand why.

"Fine then," she said with confidence. "If the outcome is good, I'll kiss you."

He beamed. "On the lips," Laxus quickly added. "Are you up for that?"

She smirked. "I'm up for the challenge."

He grinned. It was extremely childish, he had to admit; he felt like he just won over a childhood crush for a date or something. But still, this feeling – he was very (extremely, madly, _insanely_) happy when she didn't straight-up reject him. Before she could walk further, however, Laxus grabbed her by the wrist. "I'll come with you,"

Mirajane looked surprised at first, but then she softened up. "No, don't," she smiled. "Wait for me here. I want to do this myself."

Laxus was in no doubt worried about her answer, but he knew very well that once Mirajane had her mind set on something, it would be impossible to change her thoughts. "Alright," Laxus turned to look up at the balcony, where men and women alike were talking, holding onto champagnes as if they were super classy or something. Laxus scoffed, "Jiji is in the center of the second floor. I can hear him talking with some other old man, I think."

She nodded. "Thank you."

He slipped his grip down from her wrist to her hand. "I'll be looking forward to the kiss," he gripped onto her fingers firmly. "By that, I mean _your_ kiss… for me_."_

There were several connotations that could come from his remark just now; the most _Laxus-like _one being that he simply wanted a kiss from her. But Mirajane knew – _that wasn't it_. This man was wishing her luck, in a very _Laxus-fashion._

Still, she wasn't disturbed or annoyed or anything on that matter. Smiling, she gave him one last assuring nod, and headed for the stairs.

**.**

**.**

So, what business would a seventeen-year-old girl have with all these middle-aged (and, as Laxus had noted, snobby, scrawny), rich, and classy-looking people? Usually being the one to scare others, Mirajane herself was feeling slightly intimidated by these strangers' looks right now. And did it make any sense that they had to talk on the stairway?! They were blocking her way for heaven's sake! As politely as possible, she brushed her way past the adults, and with much difficulty, she finally made it to the second floor.

Well, coming up here helped her confirm two things: one, it was very crowded, and, two, it seemed like nobody gave a damn that a child was in an adult area. She and Laxus were both quite positive that if they stepped on this floor, they would get kicked out.

Regardless of what others thought, Mirajane proceeded forward. She was greeted by more judgmental eyes of – _you name it – _curiosity, confusion, surprise… pretty much everything.

Laxus told her that Master was in the middle… so—

"Oh?" Came a deep, masculine voice.

Mirajane looked up, and was greeted by a young man, perhaps the same age as herself, smiling _in an odd manner _at her. The man had short, blue hair. Clad in an simple yet elegant white robe, he had a strange, red marking that ran over his right eye, and he was… _well_, quite handsome. But there was something odd about this man; it was faint, but Mirajane could definitely feel a sort of _darkness_ from him. And by that, she meant it quite literally – she could feel _darkness magic_ swelling within the man.

"You are… Miss Mirajane Strauss, aren't you?"

She was able to specify it by now – that _odd _smile she described earlier was sinister. Yes, that would be the proper adjective. His smile was _sinister_.

"Yes, this is she." Mirajane spoke firmly. "I apologize. You are…?"

"Please, there is no need for apologies," he bowed as he spoke politely. "I am Siegrain of the Ten Wizard Saints. Having only just come into name, it is no surprise that you do not know me."

She watched the young man's movements cautiously. Although he appeared to be sincere, Mirajane just could not shake this suspicion over him…

"I must ask, Miss Mirajane," the man started timidly, "What brings you up here on the second floor, where all guests gather strictly for the purpose of business?"

"I am here for business," she responded, but then paused. Thinking safely, it was probably best not to mention anything about that shady mission. It could probably bring her more trouble. "… I'm here to see my Master, whom I must speak with immediately."

He wasted no time. "Ah, I see." The man bowed again and gestured for her to walk beside him. "Please, Makarov-sama is right this way."

For what reason a Wizard Saint of all people suddenly showed up to escort her, Mirajane need not question. She could say that the reason was not important enough for her to seek, and therefore she may disregard.

"I am sorry that this is so sudden, but…" The man by the name of 'Siegrain' suddenly spoke up as they walked.

Mirajane turned slightly to acknowledge his words.

"… I must apologize for your loss," he said. "It must have been hard. Your sister—"

"Thank you," the word had no soul. She said it simply for the purpose of saying it. "Yes, it was hard, but I'm fine now, so thank you." Mirajane paid no attention to his reaction; she only wished to reach Makarov as soon as possible.

With a few more brushing and shoving, the Wizard Saint finally stopped.

"Makarov-sama is over there," he said, pointing to a small roundtable. "Shall I come with you?"

Mirajane had to squint her eyes to spot the tiny man. He was in his white Wizard Saint robes, talking to another tiny man, whom she believed to be Yajima. "No," Mirajane said bluntly, "I would like to go by myself. Thanks for the offer."

Siegrain bowed politely once more, and then he backed away.

The girl waited several moments before acting again. She had to – that blue-haired _Wizard Saint's _aura was… it was disturbing. Through the short time he had been beside her, she had felt uneasy, unsafe, confused, scared – _everything _all at once. Mirajane had never felt her own magical powers act that way before, and she did _not _like it one bit.

She turned around slowly, her eyes scanning her surroundings for the blue-haired man.

Good, he was really gone. She wasn't sure how much longer she could have lasted if he was present. In any case, she was free to talk to her master now. Mirajane took a deep breath and headed towards the small roundtable, where, ironically, two tiny men were sitting at.

"Master, Yajima-san," Mirajane called softly.

Makarov and Yajima were in the middle of a relaxed, friendly conversation, but hearing the familiar voice, the two immediately dropped their topic and turned to it.

The girl nodded once to the two as a greeting.

"M-Mi…" Makarov tried to start. His gaze shifted from her face down to her neck, to her chest, down to her waist, hips, her dress, and then it shot right back up at her face. "Mirajane?!"

Her expression was blank. "Yes, Master."

"W-what are you doing here…! _Why _are you here?!"

"For a mission, Master," she answered simply.

Makarov was utterly astounded. It didn't seem like he heard her answer, as he was much too amazed by the sight before him. The master didn't reckon that he could open his eyes _this _widely and still have them intact to his face. "W-why, you're beautiful, Mira!" He exclaimed. "You should dress like this more often!"

The girl in question remained stoic despite his excitement. "Please, Master, I've had enough attention for the night."

And she definitely wasn't joking when she said that.

Makarov, however, couldn't shake away his amazement. "Nonsense! You should receive all the attention in the world for looking so damn sexy—OW!"

Yajima (perhaps the more normal elderly of the two), had smacked his friend on the head. He cleared his throat and spoke up, "It seems you should drop the silliness for the time being, Mabo."

Rubbing his swelling head, Makarov turned to Yajima to frown at him, but soon understood what he meant. Slowly, he turned back to face the girl, and seeing how serious her expression was, Makarov did indeed drop anymore desire to joke around. "Mira, what's the matter?"

_Did she mishear him?! _Mirajane tried – _oh, she tried hard – _she tried to restrain herself from throwing a fist at the old man whom, all these years, she grew to look up to, admire, and to adore as a family member.

_He was a guardian, a father-figure – he was literally family, and yet he…!_

"_What's_ the matter…?"

Makarov heard her grunt under gritted teeth; her clenched fists shook with nothing more than anger as she continued on—

"How can you ask me something like that…?"

He narrowed his brows.

Mirajane mentally noted that she would have to give herself a medal for having so much willpower. If this man were anyone else, then she would have gutted him already. Disregarding her master's still-clueless face, she spoke – _demanded – _firmly, "I want to see Elfman."

Makarov, still looking confused, could only gape. "Elf… Mira, wait—"

"Please don't tell me to wait!" She raised her voice, her shoulders shaking. "I've… waited so long. I'm scared that if I'm told to _wait _any longer, I'm going to… I'm…"

"…"

She paused to take a deep breath. "For the past two weeks," Mirajane said, "I… no – _everyone _back at the guild have been trying to reach you, to ask you not only about my little brother, but to ask where you have been as well,"

The master was growing increasingly concerned, "Mira, lis—"

"We thought that something might've happened, because… why couldn't we reach you through the Lacrima Device? Why didn't _you _reach us through the Lacrima Device?!" Her voice was rising without her knowing.

"You have to listen—"

"And to know that you're here, at this stupid ball, enjoying yourself—"

"Mira!" Makarov barked. He grabbed onto her fist, upon where immediately he felt a strong bewitching – _near painful – _chill shoot all over his body. Makarov twitched slightly, and looked up at the taller girl, "Mira, listen. Remember what I said about controlling yourself and calm down."

"…"

Took a moment, but after several blinks, Mirajane noticed that she was breathing quite heavily. All in the while, she noticed as well that she was releasing a _hell _lot of magical energy. Luckily for her, the atmosphere was loud enough to cover up her careless actions. "I-I'm sorry."

Makarov breathed out and shook her head, all but concerned. "I'm sorry, Mira. I honestly do not understand why you're saying all this," he started as calmly as he could. "Because I believe that I _have _indeed made contact with you for the past two weeks, at least once in two days."

Mirajane felt herself gone cold.

_What…?_

"Every time we spoke, you were in such a panic, I couldn't _not _answer you," he explained. "You wouldn't hang up unless I told you every single detail."

Her eyes grew wide slightly. "No… you didn't…"

"I've told you everything you asked. Whether it is about Elfman, the council's ruling to his actions, and…" the old man felt himself hesitate, "… the planning of Lisanna's funeral."

Mirajane shook harder – she needed to confirm that this was real, that she was _present _in reality. "No… you've never told me anything…!"

The girl was growing increasingly unstable, and Makarov knew that it would be unwise to go on. He held onto her cold hand tightly and, _by the gods, _her skin was freezing cold. "Mira, it's okay. Just, please, calm down," Makarov pleaded. "Really, everything is fine. Elfman is fine."

She raised her head.

He smiled. "He was quite injured when he was brought in, but healed as quickly as he came back into consciousness."

The worried Mirajane pressed forward, "Is he okay now? Will he be alright from here on? C-can I see him?"

Mirajane had completely broken into Makarov's personal bubble – not that he minded of course; the girl was very concerned, after all. "I said relax, Mira." Lightly, he pushed her back a step. "He's more than fine. Sure, he was very, _very _unstable when we told him about Lisanna, but he really is fine now. Trust me."

Letting out a deep, _deep _breath, for a split second, Mirajane could feel the blood rush up her head, and then her head spun. Relief to her felt ironically stressful.

"Unfortunately though, you're not allowed to see him yet. Although the council has ruled that he is innocent for all actions, he still needs to go through rehab."

"Rehab…?"

"Yes, rehab," Makarov replied, "for both his physical and mental health."

"T-then more so the reason that I should see him! Now would be the time for someone he cares about to support him…!"

"Mirajane,"

She froze. Master _rarely _called her by her full name; when he did, it would mean that he was _fairly _serious.

"When I say _trust me_, I mean it. Elfman is fine, and you are not permitted to see him for the time being. Do you understand that?"

His tone was strict. Frustrated, Mirajane looked away.

"I said," Makarov's grip on her hand became firm. His voice deepened as he spoke, "Do you understand?"

She closed her eyes. "I… y-yes." Mirajane said softly. She sighed and turned back to the short old man, "I understand, Master."

"Good," he drew his hand back to himself. Makarov could see that she clearly _didn't_ understand, but at least she was being obedient. "I'm sorry, Mira, but…" he clicked his tongue, "… Elfman himself asked to be left alone during the time of rehab. He doesn't even want to see me."

Mirajane swallowed the lump down her throat. "It's so like him to say something like that…" She whispered. "He must be blaming himself for what happened…"

Poor girl was shaking again. He would be paying full attention on consoling her, but something far more conspicuous was on his mind right now. Something so suspiciously-conspicuous that he _had _to ask –"Mira, I'm sorry this is so abrupt, but I must ask – when you said that you tried to contact me, it… didn't work?"

She glanced at the shorter man, whose expression was all frowns and worry. So, she took no delay and answered, "No, it didn't. I tried for days and days. Erza, Cana, Gray, and even Natsu tried as well, but it never went through."

Makarov was visibly stunned. The old man glanced across the table to Yajima, who then nodded once and walked off. Makarov then turned back to face the young take-over mage. "Mira, I am not lying to you when I say that we have spoken through the Lacrima Device for the past two weeks. What bothers me is that you're saying we haven't."

"…"

"Clearly, someone is interfering with this matter." Makarov thought out loud, "… To alter a Lacrima Device in the Council… whoever's done it could be potentially dangerous."

Mirajane stayed quiet as her master continued to think.

But as soon as he came back from his musing, Makarov stood right up from his chair. "In any case, this is council-matter." He said as he straightened his robes. "Mira, I apologize for all the confusion… _if_ you can even call it that," Makarov wavered as he spoke, as he could feel nothing but disappointment for not realizing this earlier. "… But know this: I _will_ get to the bottom to all of it."

His firm statement had the corner of her lips arch slightly.

"And when I'm done, we, including Elfman, can all go home."

Of course; that was all she hoped for. Mirajane nodded, smiling.

Makarov grinned back at the younger girl. "Trust your old man on this, alright? Everything will be okay."

"Yeah," Mirajane said. "I don't doubt you, Master."

The short Wizard Saint gave the girl one last smile before walking off, and that was when she figured that he really wasn't joking when he said that he will get to the bottom of all of this. And hearing that, Mirajane had to admit, she felt certain that things were going to become normal again despite all the mishaps. When Fairy Tail's master became serious, not even the Magic Council could stop him.

Letting out one last sigh of relief, Mirajane removed herself from the crowds of businessmen and women. As she headed for the balcony that overlooked the lower floor, her chest grew warmer, _lighter_.

The thought of being able to reunite with Elfman, she couldn't possibly be happier. But right now, she was just glad that her little brother was free of any charges, though she would have to scold him for being so stubborn later on…

Mirajane rested her hands on the railing of the balcony as she looked down into the dance floor. Quite easily, she spotted her partner – with much help to the bright colour of his hair. He was standing there, hands in his pockets as he connected his gaze with hers.

Then, it happened.

Mirajane remembered – she had to kiss him if the news was good. It was to _equalized _the good and bad and all that bullshit she probably _shouldn't _have come up with. Well, for one, she didn't know that Laxus would take it so seriously, and for another, she didn't know that he'd twist the idea into a game. What was even more unpredictable was the fact that she'd actually choose to play that game.

Even so, right now, she was smiling.

She was smiling at him, who was smiling back.

And that was all he needed. Mirajane saw Laxus' grin widen, and then he headed for the stairs. His golden hair was easily lost amongst the pointless crowds on the staircase, so Mirajane waited and contemplated. She contemplated on how the silly lightning mage was coming for her to receive his 'reward', and she contemplated on how silly she was to be feeling happy about giving it to him.

Yes.

Just for reassurance, she was feeling _happy_ about this. Not disgusted, not repulsed, not even irritated as she had anticipated earlier – Mirajane felt happy.

… she felt so happy, she couldn't wipe that silly smile off her face.

Well, maybe she should just admit that she actually didn't mind kissing him. And by _didn't mind_, she actually meant _wanted to_.

But…

Mirajane looked to the stairs again. The golden-haired man wasn't visible, and he should be upstairs by now. In fact, he should be standing right in front of her by now.

Concerned (_only a bit, _she mentally added), Mirajane made her way to the stairs. The amount of people in her way was unreal; she had to push and shove and squish and everything else that un-lady-like. One would think that all these _classy-looking _people would be more considerate of a tiny little girl like herself and would move out of the freaking way. Finally, through much effort, she broke free from her obstacles, and just right there, only a few steps lower, Laxus was standing, motionless – still as a statue.

Mirajane frowned. _The balls he had to keep her waiting… _She took a step forward—

"…!" The girl yelped – somebody had bumped into her, which almost threw her off balance, but being the agile Demon she was, Mirajane quickly regained her stance. Right away, she spun around to the person, "Sorr—" but stopped instantly.

That person, that… _figure_ she had just bumped into – its physical appearance flashed like a malfunctioning hologram, and then it became smooth again, reverting into a normal human figure. And during that millisecond where it 'malfunctioned', the figure exposed its true form. Mirajane saw, and knew very well, that _true form_ was—

"… Ivan Dreyar…?"

The figure simply smirked at her, giving her an ominous stare at the same time. It all happened faster than she had expected, because in the next second, he had already disappeared.

Her eyes widened; she meant to chase him, but something else popped into her mind. "Laxus…" Mirajane said out loud. She spun around to the man, who was still standing motionless on the few steps below her. Grabbing onto the sides of her gown, Mirajane raced to him. Once she was close enough, she could see that he was in shock – eyes literally lifeless. "Laxus!" Mirajane grabbed his hands, "Are you okay? He… what did he do?"

Laxus blinked once, and his green eyes grew sharp again. He returned the hold on the girl's hands, "We need to go."

"What…?"

His golden brows furrowed. Without saying another word, he dragged the Demon with him, down the stairs and towards the exit.

**.**

**.**

* * *

**See what I mean when I said that I had to split the chapter into two last time? It's still so long, and there's still more I want to put in… but oh well :/**

**This chapter turned out longer than expected, which begs the question:  
Is the length too much? Should I make them shorter, or is this actually okay with you guys? I have a bad habit of making my chapters superultramega-long, so yeah… please do tell me your thoughts!**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Stuff's finally happening! D:  
Oh, please remember to review as usual :3  
**


	12. XII

**A/N: **Okay guys, SUPERULTRAMEGA-LONG it is! :)

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**XII**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

The skies rumbled.

They sounded angry – _no, _they _were _deadly. Not just the way the dark, thick clouds gathered so rapidly in the night sky, but also the heavy aura that begged for attention, that threatened to _kill – _it was growing beside her. Mirajane stopped walking, making the man stop as well. She looked to him, who seemed to have lost his will, and it made her feel uneasy – _scared._

He had dragged her away from the building, out here into the cold autumn night. At first, she thought that the situation was urgent – like he _absolutely _had to leave for some important reason, but once they left the front gates of the Magic Council, he slowed down. He slowed down so much, it seemed like he no longer wanted to walk.

It was confusing; she didn't get it.

"Laxus…" Mirajane called to him, but he (unsurprisingly) showed no signs of reaction.

The girl didn't want to draw references, but at this moment, the mighty lightning mage looked like a child, upset over a broken toy.

A bolt of lightning flashed above, followed by a roar of thundering clouds.

She tried again, "Laxus,"

This time, he raised his head.

She could see it now – his eyes were overflowing with… not so much with anger or hatred or anything that would match the atmosphere he was creating; they simply looked upset, distraught – _sad. _

It was then she remembered that she had seen this kind of expression before – in the eyes of young Elfman and Lisanna, every day, shortly after their parents passed away.

The skies rumbled again, and Mirajane took the queue to speak. She wanted to ask – _she wanted to ask about Ivan – _but before her was probably the most delicate person she had ever laid her eyes on in her young life. The man was going to break down if she stressed him too much, Mirajane was sure of that. So, in turn, she dropped her wavering thoughts and decided to speak only of what was necessary.

She rested her hand lightly over his own and whispered, "Please, Laxus,"

The muscles in his jaws tensed for the slightest moment, yet he stayed silent. Then, a single drop of rain fell from the black sky, hitting the corner of his eye. It ran down his cheek like a teardrop – _like he was crying._

Mirajane's eyes followed the small droplet, "… stop the rain,"

An utterly tiny and insignificant element of nature it was, yet the amount of discomfort that overwhelmed her as soon as she laid eyes on it, she…

"… I don't like it."

She didn't like how it looked like he was crying.

Laxus said nothing. Only, shortly after another thunderous roar from the clouds, he released the girl's hand to unbutton his jacket. Laxus hung it over her shoulders and whispered back, "There are some things that even I can't stop, Demon."

A faint smell of cologne from his jacket reached her senses; Mirajane silently watched the man look above, as if he were deep in thought.

A brief moment passed by and he took her hand again, urging her to continue walking – which she did so easily without questioning.

And above them, the sky roared louder. The rain began to fall, thicker and thicker.

**.**

**.**

When the girl was done with the shower, she had expected that she might need to go downstairs to get him. Laxus had courteously told her to use the shower first, despite being far more drenched than she was, and Mirajane had to agree to his offer reluctantly. It didn't seem like he was in the mood (or had the will) to argue or even talk, so it was more of an odd form of request from him.

But right now…

"…"

She blinked several times to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. Stepping out of the bathroom, she spotted Laxus, lying on the bed, fast asleep. He didn't even dry himself – _hell, _he didn't even change into dry clothes.

How could he sleep like this? Wouldn't he feel uncomfortable? Wasn't he afraid of getting sick?

… and… what _exactly _did Ivan do to him…?

The questions continued to pile up in her head. Before she knew it, she was already sitting down by his side. The lamp beside the bed was the only source of light in the room, and Mirajane figured that she might as well turn it off as it wasn't doing its job of lightning anything up anyway. Still, through this dimness, she could see how distraught he looked, even in his sleep. Thick, golden brows furrowed like he was bothered, eyes shut with raw strength and not peace… he was having a bad dream.

And Mirajane knew everything about bad dreams, because she _hated _them.

As gently as feathers, she rested her palm on his forehead. Lightly, she ran her hand upwards, brushing at his damp golden spikes, swept back in his unique hairstyle. The few wild locks at his widow's peak would bounce back to their original position no matter how many times she brushed at them, however. Yet she continued to do so gently, with the hopes of calming him, comforting him from whatever it was that he was seeing in his sleep.

Laxus suddenly breathed out, silently telling the girl that he was awake.

In spite of this, Mirajane went on, brushing at his hair. She looked to his closed eyes, waiting for him to speak up.

"You were taking too long," Laxus began in a whisper, "… I fell asleep."

She cracked a small smile. "You're like a little kid," _and it's kind of cute – _she wanted to add.

Hearing that, Laxus breathed out again, this time with amusement and returned her smile, his eyes still, meanwhile, closed.

The silence brought Mirajane's attention elsewhere – she grazed her thumb over the lightning bolt-shaped scar that ran from the man's forehead down to his cheek. Smiling to herself, Mirajane recalled the first time she saw this. Back then, he just returned from his S-class exam. He was all patched up, but held triumphant results; he bragged about his amazing prowess as her curious little self listened with hidden joy and admiration.

The boy she knew just four years ago had grown up into an arrogant and cocky, yet handsome and _delicate _young man.

"Is this sexual harassment-thing of yours going to become regular?" Laxus spoke up again.

Mirajane looked back at his closed eyes, thoughts scattered. "Only if you continue your horrible sleeping patterns," she half-expected him to laugh, but the odd, now near-sluggish Laxus only kept still. So she went on, "Laxus, it isn't like you to be so… approachable and _vulnerable_ to people – even if it's just me."

He sighed. "_Just _you…" Laxus whispered.

A few moments, akin to the form of hours, passed by.

Finally, his eyes opened themselves. He found Mirajane's round, blue orbs through the dimness of the room, and then he spoke up, "I can only be vulnerable around you."

"…"

She felt her heart drop.

Mirajane did not think that it was possible, but the gloomy silence moments prior was now replaced with a sort of warmth – it felt like the softest, fluffiest blanket wrapped her up. What was even more unbelievable was that she couldn't believe that she could feel like this with _him _of all people around.

"Why…?" Mirajane heard herself say.

His eyes stayed on her. Slowly, he cracked a small smirk.

A handsome, _handsome _smirk.

"Because you're different."

"…"

_Different – _her mind repeated. In what ways was she different? She, too, was a human being, a girl, and she, _too, _was very weak. Weak, as in her feelings were delicate.

"Laxus…"

He thoroughly enjoyed the way she whispered his name – especially that soft '_sss' _at the end. It was like she was _hissing_, and he found that to be enticing. So, he let himself go – allowing whatever force it was that seemed to orbit him take control. He let this force draw him into her, and like the girl, he dropped his eyelids – waiting for that inevitable contact.

It was a touch – just a light, _teensy-little _brush across the lips. That was all that she needed to come back to her senses. Mirajane gasped softly and turned away, using the best of her abilities to stay calm. She cleared her throat. "Y-you need to get changed,"

Laxus kept quiet.

"… I'll get you a towel…"

And then she left without letting him react, literally racing into the bathroom. Sure, it was rude and abrupt, but Mirajane had no clue how to deal with something like… _like that. _Once in the bathroom, however, her beating heart slowed down. the amount of confusion rushing into her head – s-she didn't understand.

The sound of a deep sigh and slight movement from outside made her jump; she shook herself back to her senses and grabbed the towel hanging on the golden handlebar, reminding herself meanwhile that she wasn't acting like herself at all.

… But then again, she hadn't been acting like herself at all _anyway _for the past two weeks.

Mirajane stepped out of the bathroom again, where, this time, she found the lightning mage sitting up on the side of the bed. He was leaning on his knees with his elbows, head down. She walked to him, and in the back of her head, she pondered on how much she didn't like it when he sulked. She contemplated on how she disliked it when he was so quiet.

"Laxus,"

And she wanted to tell him _just how much _she did not like it when he was behaving so… _miserably._

He raised his head, meeting her brilliant blue eyes once more.

_So dull._

The usual arrogance, energy, and _life _in those emerald eyes she knew were not present. Laxus looked… he looked _dull_, and she wanted to help him. It bothered her infinitely – it bothered her like a cancer, as she could feel this mere _dullness _consuming her happiest thoughts. The longer she looked at him, the more intense that uneasiness in her chest grew.

It was when he closed his eyes again then she remembered what she was doing.

Mirajane hung the towel over his head and gently, she dried his golden spikes. She dropped to her knees, meeting him at eye-level. Mirajane allowed the towel to slip down, leaving it dangling over his head. Gently, she used both ends of the white towel to dab his cheeks, forehead, brows, eyes, and…

She paused.

When his eyes reopened, she caught him gazing at her with a look that could only be described as _'vulnerable'. _Vulnerable and fragile – _that was it._

"… _I can only be vulnerable around you," _– he said mere moments ago – _"Because you're different."_

Now, Mirajane herself wasn't completely oblivious. Not to brag, but she wasn't just one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail; she was also one of the brightest. Perhaps she was even more intellectual than Erza. So she already had an idea why Laxus would say such a thing. The thing was, however, she didn't know how to take it. Was he saying it because of his emotions? Or was it because of whatever Ivan did earlier? Or… or was it truly because of what Mirajane was thinking…?

"…"

Maybe… she shouldn't _think. _Maybe she shouldn't even _care. _Maybe she should just do what she wanted to do.

"Hey…"

… So she abandoned the towel, leaving it draped over his neck.

Her hands took on a life of their own – they were among his face, framing his strong cheekbones delicately. Her fingers stopped at the corner of his lips where they lingered patiently; her other hand stopping at his chest meanwhile, feeling his steady heartbeat.

"I don't know what he did, but is there anything I can do to help?" She asked him softly.

Despite their proximity, Laxus took no motion to lean forward, move, or to reciprocate her actions. In short, the thought of _taking advantage on her _did not come up. He simply replied, whispering, "… Even if I told y—" Laxus cut himself off without any warning. Just as abruptly, he started again with something else—"Do you pity me, Mirajane?"

A rude remark despite her kindness. A rude remark, but there was no harm intended. In fact, it sounded weak – _so weak, _Mirajane felt that he would shatter if she replied with too much force.

"Pitying comes in many different forms, Laxus," she responded carefully, also in a whisper. "And this is not one of them."

He smirked again, weakly. "Then, what are you doing?"

His words were lifeless, dull – _empty. _"I don't know," Mirajane said, leaning closer. "I…"

Their foreheads touched. Her lips brushed across the side of his and upon contact, Laxus let his eyelids drop.

Mirajane drew back slightly, "… I just want to be with you."

His hands glided up the side of her legs and stopped at her hipbones, where his grip tensed in the gentlest way possible. He pulled her body in.

She gasped, sighing weakly when the man buried his face on her shoulder. Naturally, she adjusted by wrapping her arms around his head, where her fingers combed at his damp, golden hair.

Laxus reacted by circling his arms around her tiny waist, embracing the girl completely whilst his lips moved up from her shoulder to her neck. He inhaled, and could smell her fresh body wash – the scent strawberries and jasmine, _how very cute_. This caused her to tense, but he proceeded, moving higher up her white skin until he reached her ear. There, he paused to nibble at the soft flesh of her earlobe, letting the girl breathe in sharply – he could picture her biting onto her lower lip, trying her best to muffle the sounds that fought to come out of her throat.

Then, it came to him— "Mirajane,"

She stiffened to the call of her name.

—he wanted to know— "What am I to you?"

The girl opened her eyes. Lightly, she pressed against the man, pushing him away _just so. _She kept her eyes on his chin, refusing to look up because if she did, she wouldn't know how to think anymore.

He waited, as he was patient for her answer. Laxus cupped her cheek, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. _You're not like them._

There was an answer present, waiting to be spoken out. "You're…" she began, still keeping her eyes down, "… you." She felt the air growing thick – "You're Laxus. It's just that simple."

He let her finish and moved in, pecking her soft lips lightly. Laxus watched as her eyes willingly glided up to meet his – as if giving him permission – and then he leaned forward, catching her lips once again. Only, this time was more than a simple peck.

It was beyond her understanding – Mirajane acted all on intuition; she kissed him back.

And with that, Laxus abandoned all resolve left in him. He pressed into her lips, sealing them tightly together as his hand cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss. He felt her slender fingers combing wildly into his hair – desperate, he figured, for something to hold onto. Strange as it was, the girl was the one to beg for entrance when he parted his mouth to catch his breath. Laxus gladly obliged, granting her access, and their tongues soon meddled together.

While he tilted his head occasionally to give her better angles, his free hand wandered. First it was at her hipbone, then it slid up, feeling the curve of her back and then up – _higher – _gliding across the bumps of her bra strap under her thin tank top. Laxus heard his mind applauding for him, given that he was able to fight away the desire to tear her clothes off.

Because if this girl were any other woman in the world, he would have done so already. But it was _because _she was Mirajane – that was why he couldn't do it. Laxus could not bring any part of him to be rough, to be aggressive to this girl.

_He just…_

"Do you realize what you're letting me do, Demon?"

She ignored him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Mirajane gently ran her fingers through his golden spikes.

"Just admit it, you _do _pity me."

His large hands then went on wandering on her back, moving up and down, _up and down, _as if urging her for an answer. So she gave him one – "I-is it that difficult…" she bit onto her lower lip when his cold hand slipped under her tank top, coming in contact with the bare skin of the small of her back, "… to understand…?"

His hand slipped higher, and as it happened, so did the girl's shirt. Effortlessly, he removed the thin fabric, leaving Mirajane with nothing but a white bra on her upper body.

"That I…" Mirajane swallowed, trying her best not to moan when Laxus lifted her up, slowly flipping their positions.

"You…?" He repeated, trapping her on the soft bed below.

She reached up to touch his cheek, biting her lips as she spoke. "I… just… w-want to be with you…"

He was expressionless – no usual smirk, no usual scowl. Laxus bent down and, as he did that, his hands gripped onto the girl's tiny waist, petrifying her with the coldness of his skin. His lips matched hers, and this time, he was the one to ask for permission to enter.

Shy at first, Mirajane soon parted her lips, and was more than surprised when Laxus roughly thrust his tongue in. Unknowingly, her hands searched for something – _some form of object _– to grab onto; they made their way to Laxus' dress shirt, still damp with rainwater they had to escape from earlier. Baffled by the fact that he wasn't bothered by it (because she definitely was), Mirajane tugged onto his collar, urging him to take the annoying piece of wet clothing off.

Laxus comprehended almost instantly. Lips still connected, he tore his shirt open, sending its buttons flying. He threw the shirt somewhere behind him, letting it join Mirajane's missing tank top on the floor. Topless by now, Laxus gained a newfound drive; his calloused hands moved up the girl's abdomen as their tongues continued to dance, and eventually, he reached her ample breasts, where he lingered to squeeze and massage.

It was too much – _she was out of breath – _but this _sensation—_

Mirajane gasped, tearing her mouth away from his.

"Shh…" Laxus whispered, trying to calm her. Ironically though, in a not-so-calming fashion, he slipped his fingers under her bra. Skin against skin, he went on, squeezing, toying with her softness.

She bit _– hard – _on her lower lip to suppress the strange sounds that came endlessly out of her. Eventually, the girl had to clasp a hand against her mouth to muffle them as they were getting out of control.

_So cute._

Laxus smiled. She was so cute. Trying so hard for something so trivial – the Demon was so cute. The harder he squeezed, the tighter she shut her eyes. He rather enjoyed this view though, so he wasn't going to make her cry out. Laxus bent down to kiss her neck, suckling at the delicate skin there as he continued to massage her.

Her lungs were on fire, her cheeks were burning, and she felt light-headed. His warm lips that were trailing down from her neck to her collarbone, down… _down _to her chest – she didn't have the means to fight back. _No, _it was just that she couldn't, and most definitely _wouldn't. _Because it truly was remarkable; the way his hands pushed against her breasts, the way his fingers teased with the peaks, a-and the way he made her want to call out—

"_Aah…_!"

Laxus' senses grew sharp. A single cry finally escaped through the cracks of her fingers when he slipped his tongue out to lick her cleavage. He raised his head to smirk at her, and Mirajane could only turn redder. Laxus removed her bra, to which he had quite a bit of trouble with as the girl was growing shyer and shyer by the second. Eventually, that, too, he got rid of, and he bent back down to capture a perky nipple in his mouth, biting with a subtle strength just to tease her. At the same time, he gave her left out breast just as enough attention by cupping it, kneading it with the same, subtle strength.

Mirajane was growing delirious – _but she had to keep her voice in – _she couldn't let those noises come out because, _god help her – _it sounded so wrong. Never had she heard herself sound so shameless. With the best of her abilities, she clasped onto her mouth so tightly that only simple gasps could pass through her clenched teeth and hand. Her body, however, she could not control. Hell, she couldn't even keep her mind in control. As her upper body thrashed wildly to the lightning mage's touch, her legs tensed in a way that they never had before; her thighs pressed themselves together with so much force her knees turned red. And then there was that… strange, _strange _feeling in between her legs – it was like… if she didn't pay attention to it _soon_, she was going to die. Frantic, her free hand clawed at the back of Laxus' head, unintentionally making him bite her harder when she only wanted him to do _something else. _

Laxus, however, wasn't clueless. This was obviously the girl's first time, which would explain why she was being so adorably shy. So for her to have such trouble communicating in this heated situation, it was quite understandable. He moved to her other breast, giving it the same amount of treatment as his hand slithered down her flat stomach, sending chills up her spine with his mere touch. Laxus pushed at the hem of her shorts, and with a small tug, he prompted Mirajane to relax her legs.

She was hesitant, but that _strange _feeling down there that was _screaming _for attention – she couldn't hold back. The young Demon loosened herself and almost right away, she felt his hand moving into her inner thighs. His fingers then came in contact with her center through those thin, soiled panties—"Nn…!" A gasp beyond her control escaped her.

Any reluctant sound coming from her was simply adorable to him – Laxus released her breasts and moved up, with hopes of meeting her beautiful cerulean orbs. Much to his surprise, what he witnessed instead was a different, _different _look. The word _adorable _couldn't begin to describe this face – she was heavenly, _divine. _Even under such dimness, he could see the colour of her cheeks – dyed in a shade of red that was close to crimson, and then there were her eyes – her _brilliant round _eyes that appeared to be dazed, _drugged _with nothing more than raw desire.

He swallowed that lump down his throat – only to realize that it was dry as sand. Laxus' eyes wandered with nervousness; by chance, they moved down and was able to catch a full glimpse of her naked body. Sweat forming on his forehead by now, Laxus mentally kicked himself in the face. He couldn't believe it didn't come to him earlier, as he had _just_ realized that he was on top of Mirajane, a guild-mate, a fellow S-class mage, a girl who was very, _very _special in many ways.

Like her looks, her body was amazing; her pure, immaculate skin, her full, ample breasts, and her curvy waist… she was simply _amazing_. The girl's long, pearly-white hair laid on the bed like a silk curtain; his fingers twisted with the locks, almost as if he was toying, experimenting with their softness. Laxus winced slightly, however, when he caught sight of the dangerous shadows formed by her ribs, which proved that she wasn't eating sufficiently. He decided that he would have to make her eat then, no matter what it would take, because she was _this close _to being perfect.

The girl was so close to being perfect, Laxus couldn't stop himself. He dove back down, his mouth engulfing a nipple again as his other hand cupped her other breast, fingers mimicking the motions of his mouth.

She threw her head back, the slight movement reminding her that Laxus' fingers were still at her center. Her hand clamped against her mouth was doing little in keeping her moans from escaping, and it was then she realized that these little noises were bringing Laxus' curiosity to a new height. She felt his fingers at her center tense, and as if her body didn't belong to her anymore, her hips rode in rhythm with his strokes. The increased dampness between her legs seeped through her thin panties, and she was ashamed that, at the back of her head, she desperately wanted to remove them.

Laxus somehow seemed to comprehend, despite her lack of will to speak (or to make any form of noise in general). His mouth left her rosy peak, trailing kisses upwards back to her neck. Once at her collarbone, he bit at the hardness, making the girl wince and, unexpectedly, arch her back. Enticed, Laxus moved higher to her neck, where he sucked so hard at certain spots that he was positive there'd be lingering crimson marks for days to come. His fingers below pushed her (by now) _wet _panties to the side – rubbing her warmth directly as he listened to her helpless gasps and pants. She appeared to be resisting, but heaven knew that she was begging for _more_.

So Laxus obliged to her needs. Bit by bit, he slid a finger into her, letting her wetness guide him into her. As expected, _more _helpless gasps and pants greeted him as his fingers moved deeper, and he couldn't get over how sensitive this little Demon was. Pulling back, Laxus could see her still clenching her eyes shut and keeping her hand clasped on her mouth – she was trying _so _hard for no reason at all. Quite frankly, he rather enjoyed this adorable view of her.

Yes, he enjoyed this, but… "Mira,"

She opened her eyes right away, surprised to hear him say her name so tenderly_. _

… even so, Laxus wanted her to feel this properly. If there was any form of unwillingness, then he'd stop, because he wanted her to _like _this.

Their gazes linked, he smiled. Laxus reached to pull her small hand away from her mouth. He leaned down to capture her lips – the fingers of their hands meanwhile entwining.

Driven mad with passion, Mirajane gave in. She decided that there no longer was a point in holding herself together – as the more she resisted, the more she realized that she _wanted this. _Eagerly, she accepted his kisses, mouth opening to entangle her tongue with his as her moans met his low groans. Through their muffled noises, she could vaguely hear and feel him removing his pants.

Laxus grabbed her bottom with one hand, hauling her close. He was pleased at how naturally she spread her legs, wrapping them around his hips, but when he drew away slightly to breathe, he saw just how embarrassed she was at her own, bold actions. Laxus smiled again, silently letting her acknowledge this cuteness she was presenting to him.

Warm skin against cold, her breasts pressed against his hard chest. Their lips clung onto each other like magnets – eccentric and inseparable. His fingers returned to her core, where they continued to tease her opening. She was losing her mind – her hips took on a life of its own as she rubbed herself against him, seeking release. Her soft and shy moans gradually evolved into sounds of desperation and need; Mirajane had to let him know – that she couldn't wait _any longer—_

Laxus broke his lips away from hers. He watched her huff unevenly as he added another finger. Her walls literally clenched at him with force; encouraged, his thumb ran circles at her wet and swollen bud lightly at first, but quickly roughened as he, too, was growing frantic.

"A-ah…! Laxus…!"

Dryer his throat became as he watched her. Cold beads of sweat rolled from his temples down to his chin, where they dropped with gravity onto her body. The sight of her slick skin shone under the dimness of the forgotten lamp. Laxus licked his lips and rubbed her harder, sending shudders through her body. The pace of his fingers increasing, he pressed hard kisses on her neck – while his other hand sought for the small arch at her back to keep her as close as he could.

"H-hurry…" A hint of a glimmer – perhaps it was a material form of lust – it flashed across Mirajane's deep eyes as her thighs opened for him.

Like her, Laxus couldn't wait any longer. He grasped her hips, brushing the tip of his erection at her core, prompting her to moan his name. The sound was, like he noted before, exceptionally enticing – _musical, _even_. _He couldn't wait, but he had to resist the urge to pound into her with all his strength.

… _Because she was different._

As he entered her with a force so gentle that he couldn't believe he could possibly use, the girl's nails clawed at his back. The wounds she left on him three days ago reopened, but Laxus paid little attention to such a matter. He focused all he had on the strength he was using as he moved deeper, _deeper, _and now, he was completely inside, from tip to base.

Mirajane was at a loss for thoughts. She cried out; the pain of her walls stretching shot into every nerve of her body at first, but as she adjusted, the aching was replaced with that of pleasure.

Grabbing her rear and lifting her off the bed, Laxus began to move – thrusting in and out deeply _yet softly, _his body trembling in effort to control his roughness. It didn't help at all that the girl's hips were bucking hard under his, however. She squeezed him tightly, knocking his breath out of his lungs and he neglected the thought of slowing down. _Mirajane was quite a passionate creature_, he decided when her thighs squeezed at his hips, her body arching up to meet each of his thrusts.

Her uncontrolled cries and moans were no longer the issue; at this moment, all she knew was that her lips were in dire need of attention and she _needed_ to kiss him_. _So she threw her arms around his neck, pulling his head in, letting their mouths meddle together. It didn't last long, though; Mirajane had to jerk her head away to let out more cries when suddenly, Laxus' pace increased; his thrust becoming harder, faster – to the point where he had become drowned in her moans.

She arched her neck, mouth hanging open and crying, crying in rhythm with the man's eccentric movements. He was a foreign, strange presence, invading her territory. He was far, _far _too big – stretching her to the ends of the earth. Every single thing about him was too much, but she couldn't get enough. She was endlessly hungry, desperate for more. Every thrust drove her to the edge, brought her back, push her forward, brought her back, and then _drove her to the edge_ again – it was almost like the opened arms of insanity was welcoming her into its grasp.

"Fuck…" he cursed thickly, watching the girl's eyes roll to the back of her head as she shattered. Stiffening and back arching, Mirajane cried out his name long and hard and as this happened, Laxus buried his face in her neck, his thrusts turning wild. He couldn't stop himself from lunging forward, relishing of the feel of her grasping around him. He clutched the sheets of the bed with one hand, the other gripping her hip, thrusting repeatedly, so out of control that he worried he might be hurting her.

If her tremors or even her screams did not make it apparent enough that she had come, Mirajane did not know how else it was possible to tell him. She was drained of her strength, stamina, and perhaps even life itself. Her legs that were wrapped tightly around him were sore; she could go on no longer, but – _god – _she _wanted so much more_. Mirajane forced herself to open her eyes. She watched the man on top of her move. She listened to his deep groans, to her breathless pants, and to the bed's dangerous squeaks. Such a fascinating and intriguing sight could not be fathomed; before long, much to her embarrassment, another wave slammed into her, this time driving a weaker scream from her mouth.

Harder and harder she squeezed him; the tightness of her walls was _torturous_, and Laxus felt that he was going to die. A strong, _hot_ torrent of pleasure rushed straight down his spine; orgasm shooting out of his world, tearing a wild growling sound out of the bottom of his throat. Pleasure washed over him as his hips thrust away, riding the dying waves of passion. And this passion he had for her was endless, it seemed, as he was desperate to make it last as long as he could.

Beneath him, Mirajane held him close; her hands running up his slick back as the muscles in his lower body continued to surge powerfully into her. Yet another growl escaped him. She felt his body tense fiercely as he fell onto her. And even though his heavy body was pressing down on her, she refused to let go of him. Mirajane embraced him fully, for whatever reason afraid that he may need her to hold him like this.

… _No, that wasn't quite right._

She was more so afraid that _he'd _leave _her. _

His breath coming back to him, Laxus pulled himself out, earning him one last, cute little moan from the Demon. Rolling off her small body, he returned her embrace and let the girl rest on his chest as he held her securely with an arm.

Mirajane snuggled closer to his warmth as he pulled the bed covers over them. She would think that she'd be nervous and embarrassed as hell right now, but as her eyelids became heavier, Mirajane was convinced that she had absolutely no strength left for anything in the world. She gave in, letting slumber take over.

_Damn, was he too rough? _Laxus thought. The girl had passed out, and knowing the Demon, even a first-time couldn't drain all her strength away. He was definitely _way _too hard on her. The hand of his arm wrapped around her shoulder came in to touch her platinum-coloured bangs. His fingers pushed them to the side where they stayed intact with credit to her sweat. The corner of his lips arched upwards, as he was unable to resist the cuteness of her sleeping expression.

Where upon he would simply leave without saying another word to the other women whom he'd slept with, Laxus closed his eyes and held this girl close.

"_I just want to be with you," _– he recalled her saying earlier. And then he, too, allowed slumber to take over.

It had been a while since Laxus had fallen asleep, feeling so safe.

**.**

**.**

* * *

**I can hear everyone screaming "FINALLY!" after realizing that this chapter was… well, _all smut_. And, SEE, I TOOOOLD you guys the M-rated stuff was coming sooner than you'd think! **

**Yes, yes, please thank me by leaving your kind reviews as usual. :)**

**See you soon!**


	13. XIII

**Disclaimer: **FAIRYTAIL characters © MASHIMA

* * *

"_It's so easy."_

…

"_Come with me, son." _

…

"… _else, I'll take away from you—"_

* * *

_**death  
and  
dream**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**XIII**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

No.

_No—_

Laxus sprung out of bed. His eyes scanned his surroundings – desperate, frantic. The skies were dark, but a hint of sunlight was peeling out of the horizon, tainting the far ends of the sea in a bright shade of azure.

But the skies were the least of his concerns right now.

"Mira…"

His main concern was the Demon – the Demon – and she wasn't here. She wasn't here. She was gone. The spot beside him was left empty – there was no one else in the room. He stumbled out of heavy covers of the blanket; Laxus slipped into his pants laid forgotten on the side of the bed and stood up. Right as he did, however, gravity latched itself onto him, pulling him back onto the bed. Aching shots of pain washed over his head – Laxus had to massage his temples before standing back up again.

But still, despite his efforts, the pain lingered.

His vision blurry and unclear, Laxus shook himself to stay focused. He would be running downstairs, but he couldn't feel his legs. Clumsily, he dragged himself to the closest wall, using it as leverage to keep himself standing.

"What the fuck…"

Never had he felt so weak in his life. It was almost as if every limb, ever muscle, every _bone _was rejecting him, trying to kick his incompatible soul away from this body.

In short, this felt like a fucking hangover.

Laxus gritted his teeth. Frustration pent up within, but he didn't care. For once, he didn't' care how weak he may be appearing. All he knew was that he had to find that girl.

Gathering everything left in him, Laxus dragged his heavy body out of the room, still leaning against the closest wall meanwhile to maintain his balance. Out of the bedroom he went, and glancing at the empty parlour, Mirajane was nowhere to be found.

His clumsy feet brought him to the railing, where he scanned the lower level carefully. It was dark, but he could see and yet, still, there was no sign of the girl. Growling with impatience by now, Laxus made his way to the staircase, where upon he was able to make it safely down without tripping or falling.

But he had no time to be proud of himself – he had to look for her. He had to see her, _now. _

"Mirajane!" He called out again, seemingly with an angered tone now.

No answer.

"Damn it…"

_Did she go out? _Laxus put his hands on the head of the sofa, once again to keep his balance. His mind spoke in volumes – _heading out alone, especially at this time… _

It was far too dangerous. Laxus' fingers clenched onto the leather material of the sofa, so firmly, his nails were ripping the hard fabric apart.

He had no choice – this _wasn't _a choice – he had to go out. He couldn't just leave her all by herself—

_Beep._

The door – it came from the door. It was the sound of it unlocking. Immediately, Laxus ran for the entrance of the suite like an intoxicated, _crazed _blonde man, all in the while neglecting the pain that was still pounding in his head _and _his body's unwillingness to cooperate.

The door opened, and appearing behind it was none other than Mirajane, who was absolutely not prepared to greet the topless man running full speed at her. She closed her eyes, gasping, her natural instincts readying herself in a battle stance. But what hit her wasn't the impact she was expecting. Slowly, Mirajane reopened her eyes and the lightning mage panting and worn out, standing before her, eyes sharp with concern. Never had she seen him like this; she had to blink several times to drown out her surprise, and her mouth hung loose only to stammer, "W-wha…"

"Where did you go?!" He demanded.

Her breath robbed away by his tone, Mirajane stared at him, confused. "Where…? I-I was—"

"It doesn't matter!" Laxus interrupted. He grabbed her shoulders, observing her (_might she add, rudely) _from head to toe – the amount of concern he displayed still protruding. "Are you hurt?!"

He was literally yelling – no, _scolding _her, and Mirajane had no idea how to react. People didn't scold _her_; nobody had the guts to do such a thing! "… I… hurt? I was just—"

"Shut up, you could've been killed!" He cut her off again.

"Killed?" It was Mirajane's turn to get concerned. Not so much over herself, but more so for him, "Laxus, what are you talking ab—"

Laxus held her tightly. "Don't go anywhere without telling me next ti—"

"Laxus!"

He stopped. Her voice was sharp and demanding – it was filled with so much authority that he felt if he did not stop, she would – _by all means – _make him stop.

To say that she was confused was an understatement. Mirajane looked at him with wide eyes, "I'm okay." She paused to let a calm moment pass by before continuing, "… Really, I am."

He scowled.

"Laxus…" She called gently, "What's wrong?"

Releasing her shoulders, he let out a deep sigh. Just as he was about the back off, the headache kicked in again and he lost the senses in his feet. He fell—

"H-hey!" She sprinted to him, catching him in a not-so graceful manner as he was rather heavy for even the likes of her. "Here, let's get you to the sofa…" Wrapping an arm around his waist, she helped him to the living room, sitting him down onto the seat with much effort. "I'll get you a glass of water—" Just as she was about to walk away, Laxus grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

Mirajane, obviously caught off by surprise, could only blink.

… Well, this was quite an awkward mess he'd gotten himself into. Laxus knew that as of now, even though he wasn't looking at her directly, her face was written with many, _many _question marks. He knew very well that each of these question marks would need to be answered at some point, and so, taking a deep breath, he began, "You want to know, don't you…? What happened at the ball between me and him."

Mirajane stiffened. Yes, yes she did. But if telling her would mean that it'd make him uncomfortable, then she'd rather stay ignorant. "… You don't have to tell me. I don't need to know."

"No, you do," he said right away, raising his head. "It's…" Caught in her questioning gaze, Laxus instinctively looked away again. "… it could be about you."

"What…?"

His grip on her wrist tightened. Laxus swallowed. "H-he told me that he… he would…"

Mirajane stepped closer, placing her hand on the man's shoulder, with hopes that by doing so, he'd calm down. It wasn't like him to stutter and appear so helpless at all.

Laxus took a deep breath. "He said, he'd take what I treasure most away from me if I don't go with him."

A moment, and then her eyes widened.

_Treasure most?_

_Go with him…?_

The two statements were surprisingly difficult to comprehend. For one, Ivan Dreyar wanted Laxus to _go with him_?! As in, to join Raven Tail? It frightened her, because she could picture it happening.

… And then, the other statement – Ivan would take away from Laxus what he _treasured most_…? This was quite strange, because Laxus had a lot of important things. He had power, money, authority, the Master his grandfather (although she was quite aware that their relationship was fairy strained), and… _many _other things… _probably_, but amongst all of these, he… he was most concerned about _her_?

"I have no intention of joining a dark guild."

His deep voice echoed in her ears, drawing her attention back to him.

"That's why… that's why I think he might actually do it."

Mirajane could hear her heart pounding in her head.

"He might… take you away…"

As he stuttered, her cheeks heated up like fire, reddening, meanwhile, like tomatoes.

"… f-from me." Laxus mustered the courage up in him to say it fully and completely, without hesitation—"He might take you away from me."

And when he finished, Mirajane could picture smoke exploding out of her head. She felt dizzy – like she could topple over if someone gave her a _teensy_ little push. "W-why would you worry about that…?"

"…"

_Smart question, Mirajane! _Her mind praised sardonically – she could hear it slow-clapping like a bitch in her would. She sure was a genius when she was nervous! Why, _of course _Laxus was worried about it, this was—

"Because it's you."

—about her.

… _Wait._

Wait. This was happening far too quickly. She was still mentally preparing herself, and yet… he already got to the point! Mirajane tried to swallow, but her throat was probably the driest thing in the universe as of this second. She kept her round eyes on him, heart pounding against her chest like jackhammer as the sound resounded in her ears. "Me…?"

"Come on, Demon," Laxus grunted, rolling his eyes, "Don't make this harder than it already is."

_Yeah, _she wasn't exactly trying to make this hard. In fact, this was pretty freaking hard for herself. "L-Laxus…" she whispered, her heart still pounding madly against her chest.

What Mirajane was about to ask was perhaps the most complicated question she had ever thought of. It was complicated, yet somewhere deep inside, she already had an answer. It was complicated, but somehow, putting into a simple, easy-to-understand manner had never been… well, _simpler. _

"… Have you fallen for me?"

He stiffened. Eyes widening the slightest, he looked up. The question he had been asking her all these years never left much of an impact on her, yet this time, because it came out the other way around, it honestly shocked him a bit. Laxus responded quietly, "Why do you always ask me things that you already know?"

Mirajane kept still. Yes, she already knew. She didn't want to be cocky or anything, but she actually saw this coming since that night, back at her house, before they left for the mission. He trapped her against the door, sharp green eyes glaring – _searching – _at her blue ones. It was as if he was silently begging for her to talk to him – to open up to him.

She was scared, then.

Mirajane was scared that if people saw too much of her, if they _knew _her, or even if they caught a glimpse of the weak girl within her, they'd break her. If they broke her, then she would no longer have the power to protect her siblings. She would no longer have the power to protect herself. Because that was all she was – _weak. _

And that was why she didn't let him. That was why she had a wall – _a shell – _that shielded her. She was a weak, little girl, hiding underneath a shell that she had created for herself. It was her last form of salvation, and if she lost that, she'd really have nothing left.

"I have."

She looked up, startled.

"I've fallen for you," Laxus repeated firmly, confidently. "I don't know how it happened, but it just did."

Mirajane kept her eyes on him – expressionless, she waited for him to continue.

"So just…" He had gone back to his hesitating state, "… don't disappear like that again."

She froze.

And Laxus looked away.

"…"

… She would have giggled (_no, really. She actually wanted to, really badly_).

Eyes wide, she covered her mouth.

Because who would've thought that _Laxus _of all people in this universe would fall for her? No, wait. It was funny because _she _of all people in this universe was the one whom Laxus had fallen for.

Wait, _no, no. _That still wasn't quite right.

"…"

_Chortle._

She chortled.

This was funny – this _felt _funny because for the first time in her life, she was loved. Not the kind of love she felt from her parents, nor was it the kind she felt from Lisanna and Elfman. This was a strange and foreign… a _new _kind of love – one that made her feel (_and she really had no other way to describe this_) butterflies in her stomach.

And she really liked it.

That was why she couldn't stop giggling.

Laxus turned to her, annoyed. "What are you laughing about?" He snapped.

His cluelessness only made the situation more hilarious – _that was, _only to her, of course. Her soft giggles soon turned into chuckles, and before she knew it, Mirajane had to hold onto her stomach as she was laughing far too hard.

He scowled, growing impatient and, strangely, embarrassed at the same time. Was she laughing at him? Did he say something funny? … Was this _supposed _to be funny? He didn't know – he never talked to anyone like this before, so _how the hell _would he know?! Pissed, he grabbed her forearms, forcefully pulling her down onto him.

Still in the middle of her outburst of laughter, Mirajane let loose, willingly falling into his arms because she could not contain herself. Her chuckles then muffled against his shoulder, and she could imagine the man sweat-dropping under such a situation.

"Stop laughing," he demanded awkwardly.

Took a while, and she really did try, but Mirajane's laughter gradually died down leaving the room echoing with nothingness. She shifted, side-straddling his lap, ear leaning against his bare chest as she listened to his agitated yet strong heartbeat.

"If you're seeing this as a joke," Laxus started in his usual arrogant tone, "Then I'll beat you up, because I was being dead-serious about everything I said."

The girl chuckled lightly this time before answering, "I know you were serious." She smiled at him, "I know – that's why it's so funny."

"…"

Mirajane grinned. She didn't realize it, but she, too, was blushing – perhaps in the same shade of red as the man. "You see, you're always dicking around, so I don't really know when you're being serious or not. Even when you are serious, it's hard to comprehend it… which is exactly what's going on right now."

He grunted, looking away.

"Hey, look at me when I talk to you," she grabbed onto his chin, feeling the rough stubble that had grown overnight. Mirajane forcefully turned him to face her.

The arrogant lightning mage resisted, of course, but could only go as far as rolling his eyes away from her stern gaze.

His childish antics prompted her to giggle then, but Mirajane went on, taking control of the conversation. "So… your father said that he'd take away from you 'what you treasured most'…?"

Laxus said nothing, only nodded.

"And automatically, you thought of me…?"

She was still holding onto his chin, so firmly that he couldn't turn away. But if he tried, he'd break out of it easily – _not that he had any reason to, though. _"Do you have a problem with that?"

Mirajane's grip on him softened, and so did her expression. "No I don't," she smiled. "But is that really what I am to you?"

Her question in reply to his question silenced him. Laxus' scowl was permanent. He turned away.

And the girl took the advantage to continue on her teasing antics. She mused aloud, "So I am someone worth freaking out for to you…"

His green eyes darted back to her curious blue ones, as if offended. "I wasn't _freaking out_. I was just—"

"Freaking out," she finished for him.

Laxus gaped, desperately searching for words to counter her but ended up giving up once again. Because really, he had no words.

The warmth in her heart infected every action she did because right now, Mirajane figured, she was acting far too girly for her own good. _Geez. _When was the last time she felt this way? Maybe, like, _never. _Whether she liked it or not, this man was leaving far too big of an impact on her. Mirajane loosened up, leaning against his chest again to listen to his strong heartbeat.

"I always knew that you were impulsive," Mirajane closed her eyes, "but… to think that you'd come looking for me…" she paused to giggle, "when you're like _this_…"

Laxus could picture steam bursting out of the top of his head. Yeah, well, _fuck. _He freaked out, he wasn't being himself, he was topless. He'd never felt so stupid in his life. But according to the girl—

"It's kind of cute."

Yes, cute—wait, _what_?!

Eyes wide as he gaped at her for the _he-lost-count-th _time of the day, Laxus froze.

She smirked.

_S-she did, _Laxus continued to think, _she called him 'cute', and god knows how much this girl was into 'cute' things—_

"Shut up." He said without much threat.

Mirajane broke into soft chuckles again. The more he fought, the cuter she found him to be.

But he refused to surrender. Laxus looked away again. "S-so, where did you go?" He felt himself stiffen as he spoke. Must be the nerves, he thought quickly.

"…"

Laxus blinked, looking down at her. "What's with the long pause?"

She darted her eyes away from his, face flushing.

Raising a brow, he nudged her. "Uh, hello?"

Still refusing to raise her eyes, Mirajane reached into the pocket of her cardigan. "I…" slowly, she took out a tiny white capsule, "… I don't want to get pr…"

Laxus, being the impatient young man he was, snatched the capsule out of her delicate grip. "Quit your stuttering, what the hell is—" He glanced at it, reading the description out loud, "—_Works like magic. Morning-After-Contraceptive_—" the last word took the breath out of his lungs. Laxus' jaws hung agape as nothing else but silence escaped his vocal chords.

"… I don't want to get pregnant, so…"

"…"

"I went out… to buy it…"

"…"

This was it – the ultimate form, the ultimate _definition _of awkwardness. Mirajane was living it right now, and she felt that each passing second was draining her soul away from her body. "S-say something…!" She blurted, desperate for some sort of sound to break this moment.

It happened instantly – Laxus coughed out a chuckle. "… Y'know, I wouldn't mind it if you _do _get pregnant."

She jumped. "Laxus, I'm _seventeen_!"

"Yeah, well, in ancient times, girls get married as early as nine. They start having kids as soon as they reach puberty and—"

"Just…" Mirajane interrupted him, face-palming, "… just stop. I don't need your history lesson."

It was his turn to smirk. Yes, a bewildered Mirajane was quite amusing to tease. "I wouldn't mind having kids with you," he continued.

The girl raised her head, glaring at him.

And he prolonged his smirk. "Do _you_ mind?"

Such a random, absurd, _borderline-insane_ question – it was so random, absurd, and _borderline-insane_ that the thought of it actually clung itself onto the back of her head for a second or two. And the answer?

_Obviously, n—_ "I am not obligated to answer," she pushed herself off—

—but Laxus grabbed her by the wrist once more, pulling the small girl back onto his lap. He hauled her close, forcing her to sit side-straddle again, and he caught her lips.

Mirajane resisted, of course, but only_ at first_. Her struggles soon submitted to his gentle strength. And while she was distracted by his tongue that was trying so _desperately _to enter her, she felt him adjusting, moving her in place so that she'd straddle his legs in between hers.

Just as suddenly though, Laxus pulled away. Foreheads touching, he smirked, "Seems to me like you don't mind at all."

Perhaps she was intimidated by how daring he was and scared that she may be appearing to be too… conservative? Well, she was sure of one thing – she didn't like that he was making her feel all weird. Yes, that was it. Laxus couldn't take control again (he sure as hell had his share of fun last night), it was her freaking turn! So she tensed, parting her lips to thrust her tongue into his mouth before he could react.

Oh, he couldn't react, alright; Laxus groaned in surprise – surprised that the girl could suddenly be so aggressive. But he merely smiled into the kiss, pleased as he grabbed her hips, lugging her closer so that there would be nothing in between them.

It was strange. How things turned out this way, neither of them knew. Their relationship of what consisted of silly bickering, arguing, or, occasionally, harmless fights over the years had evolved into something so different.

… Okay, maybe it wasn't that different. Like, they were still fighting at this moment – _albeit in their mouths._

She could hear herself breathing heavily, _shamelessly_, and it was getting so erotic, she didn't want to stop – _but she was so hot._ Holding onto his face, she pulled away slightly – their lips still touching – and she panted, looking into his hazy green eyes with need.

Like telepathy, Laxus understood. He reached up to pull her black cardigan off, and he would proceed to rip that sexy purple tank top off, but the thought was swept away by her lips that crashed abruptly back onto his. He was more pleased than surprised this time, as he realized that he was quite fond of the fact that she enjoyed kissing; it reminded him that even though she carried a demonic persona, she was a sweet, innocent young girl.

And this sweet, innocent young girl was his and _his only_. No one could take her away from him – _no one. _

He pulled away from her mouth abruptly and buried himself into her neck, attacking her pearly skin with his teeth.

_Nobody was going to have their way with her but him. _

Mirajane threw her head back, moaning as the pain dug into her collarbone. She tried to push against him, but his strong arms were holding her close, too tightly for her to resist. She felt him nuzzling along her collarbone, pushing her tank top and bra strap off her shoulder, stopping just to bite her again.

"W-wh…"

Laxus' ears twitched with wonder. "Hmm?" He continued to bite, leaving faint, red marks along her neck and shoulder. "You're trying to say something?"

Mirajane bit onto her lower lip, pushing him away slightly so that she could see his seductive eyes. "Why do you keep biting me…?" She pouted as she asked, "It hurts, stop it…"

As a lightning mage, he shouldn't be affected by electric shocks, but just now, he felt a strong current of electricity run down his spine. It didn't hurt, don't be mistaken – but it felt strange, new, and… _hot_. The current robbed him of his breath, heartbeat, and sense of reality. He was frozen in time for what seemed to be hours when it really was only less than a second. It was just… her voice. Mirajane's voice – he had never heard her sound so small and sweet and helpless, all together at once.

It was beautiful.

It was enticing.

It was _hot_.

And he wanted to hear it again.

Laxus' eyes sharpened. He dived back into her neck, biting and then sucking, sucking and then biting again – his strength increasing and his drive becoming more vicious as his hands reached for her breasts, kneading her through her clothes and he took in her moans as fuel.

Yes, her moans. That was it.

"L-Laxus, n… no, please…" Mirajane panted breathlessly. She arched her back as he toyed with her peaks; his thumbs ran slow circles on her in unison, she could feel herself aching in need and desire and… a-and _him_.

"How long do you think you'd last?" Laxus asked smugly.

_Oh god—_she bit at her lower lip as more helpless moans tore through her vocal chords—_so much for taking control._

_Beautiful_. _Absolutely beautiful. _He couldn't wipe the grin off his face. A troubled Mirajane was adorable – he had no other way to describe it. Laxus bucked his hips upwards, thrusting his hardness against Mirajane's centre, and – _by the gods – _the heat was overwhelming. He was afraid that he might not be able to control himself this time, that he might _fuck her brainless_. Laxus watched her mouth open and close, he listened to her moans and pants, and he revered as their bodies rubbed against each other.

His question suddenly came to her – _how long do you think you'd last? _– The answer was quite simple, because she wasn't going to last long enough to find out. His fingers were pinching, tugging, and twisting at her nipples torturously through her tank top and bra. It hurt – of course it did, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him to stop. Somehow, she was too focused on moaning his name and bucking her hips against his manhood.

_Oh god, and there was that._

It was incredible – he was wearing his pants, she was wearing her shorts, there was no direct contact, but she could feel _so good_. Mirajane rocked faster and he bucked harder – their movements synchronized with her own voice that was echoing in the suite.

They were grinding, Mirajane's moans going out of control and Laxus pressed scorching kisses along her throat. The material of the sofa cracking sounds of leather stretching unwillingly as they smashed into one another – and Mirajane was hot, _so hot _as Laxus released her breasts to grab her rear with both hands, rolling himself into her. Still moving fervently against her, he could feel it coming down. Yes, it was all too easy to tell with the beautiful sounds she was making.

Mirajane whimpered and Laxus kissed her hard, his tongue searing her mouth and she lost it. He swallowed her screams of ecstasy as she thrashed wildly, hips pressing frenziedly against his hardness.

"Look at that," Laxus snickered, "I didn't even have to touch you…"

_Yeah, yeah… _she thought. Without even touching her, she came (and she was actually ashamed to note). Mirajane slumped against Laxus' strong body, spent and warm and feeling entirely in need of a hug. She draped her arms over his shoulders and closed her eyes, gently grinding herself against the lightning mage to ride out the last of the aftershocks.

He felt a little overwhelmed with some unknown, passionate emotion all of a sudden, and felt that it was necessary to return her loving embrace. So he leaned in, pressing gentle kisses on her closed eyes.

Mirajane couldn't help but smile, moving up to return his kiss with her lips – their strength all but tender.

But really, anything mild and gentle applied to Laxus _plus _Mirajane would only turn into something wild and intense. It couldn't be helped; it was in their character. Laxus soon gave up with _just kisses_, sucking hard at her tongue to make the girl cry in surprise. He grabbed her wrists, pushing Mirajane down onto the sofa roughly to trap her down. Just for a moment, he gazed into those half-opened blue orbs of hers to remind himself that this was real, that this girl was Mirajane Strauss – and that he was about to tear her apart _because he really couldn't hold back anymore_.

A bit unsettled by his sharp gaze, she turned her head away. "Stop looking…"

The corner of his lips arched smugly. "And do what?"

Mirajane frowned, "… L-let me go."

"Oh?" Laxus tightened his grip on her, leaning down to lick her neck, from the centre of her collarbone up to her earlobe. Lightly, he nibbled at her soft flesh, whispering, "Come on, now. You don't really want me to do that." Laxus thrust a knee in between her legs to push her thighs apart – whereof Mirajane instantly gasped his name in pleasure. Amused, he kneaded into her, experimenting what she'd like and what she'd not like. His hands, meanwhile, slipped under her tank top to cup her breasts fully; it didn't seem that he minded that she still had a bra on – he just wanted to touch her.

The helpless Mirajane thrashed wildly underneath – not to break free, but to rub herself against his knee that was _so obviously _teasing her. She was getting so hot, but couldn't take off her clothes as she was pinned down. She sought release, but he was being gentle as hell; she was desperate, but couldn't bring herself to say the words—

"I want to rip your fucking clothes off…" Laxus grunted.

—oh, there. He was thinking the same thing,_ thank goodness._ She moaned to his crudeness as encouragement.

And he understood her wordless language in a beat of a heart, his teeth travelling back up to tear at her mouth as his hands reached the hem of her shirt, not to pull it over her head, but to _literally _rip it off—

_Ding dong_

Mirajane jerked her mouth away from his, "Laxus…!"

"Ignore it," he grunted and sealed her lips again.

_Ding dong_

But she broke away again, "No – stop…"

"It's probably just the cleaning lady," Laxus said between kisses, "… ignore it."

Mirajane really did consider his words, but—

_Ding dong_

_Ding dong _

_Ding dong_

—why would she be in such a hurry?

"Laxus, seriously, stop…" She pushed him off and got up. "If we ignore it, she'll just walk in on us…"

Laxus rolled his eyes in pure annoyance.

_Ding dong_

It wasn't like she wasn't annoyed; in fact, Mirajane was _fucking pissed _right now. She trotted to the door, certain that it would take her less than a second to say 'come back later'. But… was it just her, or was the room getting colder all of a sudden? And then there was her vision that was getting blurry, her body that was getting progressively heavy, and… a-and her heart… her heart that was suddenly racing – racing so quickly, it was getting painful to breathe.

She shoved the discomfort aside, opening the door and expecting to see a woman of some sort, but instead—

"Did I wake you?"

Mirajane blinked. "M-Master…?" Her eyes darted up. Beside her short master were two taller mages – one of whom she recognized from the night before.

"Good morning, Miss Mirajane," Siegrain, the wizard saint with blue hair greeted politely.

"Y-you…" she breathed with effort and the different sorts of pain surrounding her intensified with each passing second.

"We sincerely apologize for our intrusion…" the other mage, a pale-skinned woman with dark, raven hair and sharp, brown eyes joined in. Strict and serious at first, her tone suddenly shifted one-eighty degrees into that of playfulness, "… I presume our arrival is rather untimely?" She said, eyeing slyly at the white-haired mage's neck.

Mirajane gasped – _damn it, Laxus._ She fixed her tank top's strap that was hanging over her shoulder and quickly retied her pony tail. Silently, she kept her eyes on the strange woman, who smiled in response rather… _blankly. _Then Mirajane began to wonder – who could she be? The woman's voice was deep but truly enticing – her presence alone commanded much respect and authority despite the playfulness in her tone.

"Oh, where are my manners?" The woman caught up with the silence, "Pardon me, I am Ultear Milkovich, one of the Wizard Saints of the Magic Council."

Whilst the woman bowed with respect, Mirajane merely nodded once – not because she didn't feel like being polite, but because her body felt like it wasn't hers…

"Mira, can we come in?" Makarov said, "There is something we need to discuss immediately."

It took her a few seconds to process his question – her senses were just _not functioning_… "Y-yeah…" she said weakly, but then—"No, wait – no!"

The two male Wizard Saints blinked, all except for the female one (who was still smiling, by the way).

"Miss Mirajane, is there something wrong?" Siegrain began.

_Yes, a lot of things are wrong—_"Uh, just… um…" she stammered helplessly, trying her best to bide some time so that she could somehow tell—

"This is urgent," Makarov pushed himself into the room before the girl could go on, "We need to act quick—" he cut himself off, "—what… what the…!"

Mirajane face-palmed.

"Laxus?!"

The lightning mage, still topless, was sitting with his legs crossed, leaning back casually on the couch and scowling with annoyance. "Tch," he turned away from the guests—specifically away from his grandfather.

Makarov didn't know where to begin for his _stupid _grandson, so he turned around to the girl, thinking that she'd be more cooperative. "Mirajane," he began, his voice low and demanding, "What is the meaning of this?"

She held onto her forehead. "I, uh… forgot to tell you, Master. Laxus and I… we're—"

"—together," Ultear cut in, her voice beaming with excitement and enthusiasm. "You're together, aren't you?"

"WHAT?" Makarov exclaimed.

Mirajane gaped, "No! What—" she spun around to glare at the Wizard Saint (who shrugged her shoulders and stuck her tongue out innocently), "—no, Master, we're not!" She turned back to the old man, and then back at the dark-haired woman again. She didn't even know her, and yet…! _That mischievous little bitch…! _"Laxus, say something!"

When all eyes turned to him, he shrugged his shoulders. "See, I told you not to open the door,"

"Drop that," the girl scolded, "I'm telling you to explain to Master our situation!"

"The situation is," Laxus started, "That you opened the door for them, and we can't continue—"

"Laxus!" She shrieked—_ohgodohgodohgod—_and turned to the short elderly man, "Master, don't listen to him—we weren't doing anything, just kis—" Mirajane instantly slapped her hands against her mouth.

"…"

There could be no other reaction; Makarov's jaw hung open so wide his chin could almost touch the floor. Ultear, meanwhile, coughed gently to cover up her chuckles, and beside her, the blue-haired Wizard Saint tilted his head in confusion.

Finally, Laxus, the culprit in question, was still sitting uselessly on the couch. He blinked in surprise at first, but then gradually, that signature smirk of his reformed on his face. He grinned smugly at the girl, somewhat entertained by her desperate attempts to hide the secret yet feeling guilty at the same time for not helping. But he didn't really mind the guilt, because in exchange for it, he was able to witness an entirely adorable scene. Although, his head was protesting—_just kisses?! You little liar, we did way more than that! You bought fucking contraceptive pills for god's sake!—_he figured that it was best to keep his mouth shut right now.

Oh, and Mirajane?

… Well, despite feeling overwhelmingly cold and in pain and drained of her strength all at once right now, she knew of one thing – and that was she had never been so embarrassed in her life. At this moment, she was in desperate need of a place to hide. S-Class missions, monsters, Erza, and _sometimes _cockroaches she could handle—but situations like these? No, not so much—not _at all._

Just as she was going to run out of the door, the female Wizard Saint walked up and nudged her at the elbow. The lightheaded-Mirajane turned to her, who had a sly grin painted across her cheeks.

"Nice," Ultear praised, nodding and then finishing off with a wink.

**.**

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**I promise you, if school wasn't such an ass to me for the past two months, I would've updated three times already. Point is, sorry for the delay!**

**In any case, can't believe this story has so many hits/reviews/alerts/favourites. It really is flattering to see that so many of you are enjoying my fic, you guys are the freaking BEST, so please continue to support Laxus/Mira—UNTIL THE DAY MASHIMA-SENSEI RECOGNIZES THEM AS A REAL COUPLE! :D**

**Anyway, I'll see you guys soon (hopefully)!**

_**PS: Ultear = favourite character!  
PPS: "Works like magic"—can't stop laughing at my own creation :3**_


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